The One With The CSIs
by temporary relief
Summary: A series of one shots based on FRIENDS. Our CSI's are the friends. Life, love, fights, and most of all friendship. I can't forget humor. The One With Seven Beers And A Cola is now up! :D Mac/Stella, DL, Flack/Angell, Hawkes/OC It's finally complete! Enjoy
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines.**

**Notes: Just a series of one shots on how I picture the CSI's as the friends in Friends. This one won't be all Friends, but it will have some background.**

**The One With The CSI's**

Detective Mac Taylor was looking in a case file. It was half past two in the morning. Two of his CSI's were supposed to be on the ground looking at some of the case reports. They were asleep. Mac didn't really care at this point. He knew that wherever the other members of the team were they were asleep. Kelly Higgins had her back against Mac's desk. She had fallen asleep within the last hour. Next to her, Danny was sleeping with a case report on top of his chest. Mac left the room for a minute. Danny woke up to Kelly's phone vibrating.

"Hello, this is Kelly's lover, Danny," Danny joked into the phone. He knew that it was her boyfriend calling. Kelly woke up with a start. She stood up.

"Give me back my phone," Kelly told him. Danny was standing by now.

"No, I don't think I will," Danny held the phone just out of her reach. Kelly made her hand into a fist.

"Either you give me my phone back or I will punch you in the face," Kelly threatened. Danny still had her phone. Mac was walking back to his office when he saw Danny holding a phone away from Kelly. She looked like she was about to punch him.

"I don't think so," Danny taunted. Kelly threw a punch. He caught her fist and started laughing. She flipped him onto his back. Kelly was laughing when she took her phone.

"Shawn, are you still there?" she asked. Once Kelly got a reply, she walked out of the office. Mac walked in. Kelly came back a couple of minutes later.

"Boyfriend?" Mac asked her.

"Yeah, tonight, well, actually six hours ago was our anniversary dinner. It doesn't matter. Anything new?" Kelly asked trying to desperately change the subject.

"No," Mac said. The three CSI's started to look at the file again.

"Mac, this is suicidal. Staying up like this. I can't take it anymore," Danny yawned.

"Fine, leave if you want," Mac said.

"Yeah, I hope you actually have your date. I think Lindsay is waiting," Kelly said smugly. Danny gave her a look.

"How about we go eat somewhere then come back?" Mac asked.

"At two thirty in the morning?" Danny looked at his watch.

"Mac's paying," Kelly waved a wallet.

"Where did you get that?" Mac stopped looking for his wallet.

"Nowhere," Kelly said evasively. She tossed his wallet back to him.

"We have to talk about this pick pocketing thing," Mac told her.

"I call it borrowing, and it's not like I actually take money," Kelly shrugged. The three CSI's left the lab to eat. It was a bar that served food.

"Well, this could be worse," Kelly said finally.

"What?" Danny and Mac asked.

"I'm talking about the Xavier and West Virginia game. I hope you didn't have West Virginia winning, Danny," Kelly told him. Danny sighed and handed her a ten dollar bill. Kelly smiled smugly.

"You realize that it's just a game," Mac said.

"You only say that because I have the better bracket," Kelly replied. She was still smiling, but she saw something that made her stand up and storm over to the bar.

"Isn't that her boyfriend?" Mac asked Danny.

"Yeah. He's playing tonsil hockey with that chick," Danny said. Mac paid so they could get out of there and give Kelly her privacy. They returned to the lab. An hour later around four thirty, Kelly came back to the lab.

"You okay?" Danny asked.

"I'm fine," Kelly said rather angrily.

"Okay, let's do a reconstruction of this crime," Mac left his office. The three CSI's went to Reconstruction.

"Kelly, hold the gun in your right hand," Mac told her. She held the blank in her left.

"What's wrong? You're right handed," Danny said. Kelly carefully held the gun in her right hand.

"Hold it tightly, like a death grip," Mac said. Kelly didn't move her hand.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked. Her hand was fine when she flipped him.

"I'm fine," she tried to hold the gun tight. Kelly finally just switched hands.

"Kelly, your right arm, please," Mac said kindly. Kelly didn't move her hand. Mac tried to grab her wrist, but she hit him with the butt of the pistol.

"I said I was fine," Kelly was adamant.

"Fine, then hold the gun in your right hand," Mac said. He knew she couldn't. Kelly surprised him. She didn't even let a gasp of air out as she squeezed the gun with her right hand.

"Okay, so the murderer hit the gun out of her hand," Danny demonstrated it. Kelly let out a gasp of pain. She clutched her wrist. Mac took the chance and grabbed her right arm. Kelly tried to struggle, but Mac had a tight grip. He pushed down the sleeve of her lab coat. Her wrist was black and blue. It had obviously been broken.

"What did he do to you?" Mac asked.

"Nothing," Kelly pushed her sleeve back up. She picked up the gun.

"So, she picks up the gun, the guy overpowers her, and he kills her with the gun," Kelly tried to change the subject.

"Kelly, you are going to a doctor. Your wrist is broken," Mac told her.

"I'm fine," she insisted. Mac called Hawkes. He woke up and walked over to Reconstruction.

"Hawkes, can you please take her to a doctor?" Mac asked him. Hawkes nodded.

"Can I look at it?" Hawkes asked. After a look from Mac, Kelly showed it to him. It was very swollen. He drove her to an orthopedic doctor.

"You have a fracture," the orthopedic told her. He wrapped it up. She had to come back in a couple of days to get a cast.

"Okay, it was a fracture. It's not a big deal," Kelly told the CSI's once she got back to the lab. Everyone was up now.

"We need to know what happened," Stella told her.

"I tripped," Kelly lied.

"No, someone twisted it. I saw the X-Rays," Hawkes said. Kelly gave him a look.

"If I had a cast right now," Kelly threatened.

"You have to file assault charges," Mac said.

"It doesn't matter. I just want to be done with him," Kelly said.

"Just tell us what happened," Stella said.

**That was six months prior**

The CSI's were sitting in the break room enjoying a light case load. They each had a cup of coffee except Stella. She had tea.

"Got to love this," Kelly said.

"What?" Hawkes asked.

"A light case load, the sun is shining, and well Central Park was beautiful this morning," Kelly replied.

"Always the optimist, Kelly," Danny told her.

"Yes, I do enjoy the bright side of life," Kelly said.

"Yeah, I guess it is a good day," Mac stated sipping his coffee.

"Oh, I forgot. Danny, you owe me one hundred dollars for my bracket winning. Mac, you owe me seventy five dollars for me winning," Kelly gleamed. The two CSI's got the money out of their wallets and handed it to her.

"Now I know why you are happy," Hawkes said. Kelly laughed. She put the money in her money purse.

"Yes, there is a reason why Mac banned the March Madness brackets, and it's because I dominated," Kelly told him.

"Kelly, get your kit. We have a scene," Mac told her. Kelly went to her locker. Hawkes went to get something from his.

"Kelly, I was wondering if you would," Hawkes began.

"Come on, we have to get to the scene," Mac interrupted. Kelly got her kit and gave Hawkes a half smile.

**After notes: Remind you of someone? Ross always seemed to get interrupted when he would ask Rachel to go out or something. **


	2. The One With The Man Of Science

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines.**

**Notes: Just well enjoy!**

**The One With The Man Of Science**

"Wow, he is fine," Kelly Higgins told Lindsay. She was talking about a CSI from England. He was in New York for a conference.

"Definitely," the two female CSI's stared dreamily at the visitor. He was so cute. Hawkes and Danny came in to the room.

"I didn't know fingerprints were that interesting," Hawkes whispered into Kelly's ear. She jumped up.

"Look, there is a really hot guy talking to Mac," she told him.

"And I would care because?" Hawkes asked her.

"I could have a chance with him," Kelly said. Danny gave Hawkes a sorry dude look. Hawkes walked out of the room. He went up to Mac and the visitor.

"What do you think he is saying?" Danny asked. Hawkes looked over at the three CSI's. They were all at once suddenly very busy. Danny was looking at a print with Lindsay. Kelly was looking through CODIS.

"Danny, why are you working?" Kelly asked.

"You know what. I have no idea," Danny walked out. He walked up to Mac, Hawkes, and the visitor.

"You realize that if Mac realizes that we have been gawking at the visitor, we are as good as dead," Lindsay said.

"Yeah, I think we should figure this crime out," Kelly looked back at CODIS. Lindsay was looking at a palm print.

"Well, hello," the visitor said from behind the two female CSI's.

"Hello," was all Kelly could get out. He was cuter up close.

"Well, I'm in town for a couple more days, and I was wondering if you would like to get a coffee?" he asked. He had a British accent. Kelly blushed.

"That would be great," Kelly smiled.

"Anyways, this is the print lab," Hawkes said obviously jealous. What's up with him Kelly thought. She rolled her eyes.

"So, seven," the visiting CSI said. Kelly nodded. Hawkes and the visitor went on to the next lab.

"What's up with Hawkes?" Kelly asked as she again turned her attention to CODIS.

"Well isn't it obvious?" Lindsay asked.

"What's so obvious?" Kelly inquired.

"Hawkes might have a huge crush on you," Lindsay told her pointing out the obvious.

"Yeah, well then why hasn't he said anything or ask me out? He had plenty of chances," Kelly questioned her. Lindsay just could not believe that Kelly could be this thick.

"He has. Things have just come up," Lindsay told her. Kelly really could not believe this. Hawkes had a crush on her. The only time a guy actually liked her was never. That was a depressing thought.

"You have got to be kidding me. Hawkes doesn't have a crush on me," Kelly just couldn't get her mind around the concept.

"Whatever," Lindsay got back to her evidence. When shift ended, there were no hits in CODIS. Kelly got her coat in the locker room. Hawkes was in there too.

"So you're going on that date?" Hawkes asked hoping that she cancelled it.

"Yeah, it's just coffee," Kelly put her coat on and closed her locker door.

"I think you look nice," Hawkes told her. Kelly smiled.

"See you tomorrow," Kelly met the visitor by the elevator. She took him to a coffee place she knew by the lab. One thing led to another, and Kelly found herself kissing Keith as she learned during their date. That was all they did though. The next morning she was cornered by Lindsay who wanted to know about the date.

"He was nice," Kelly told her.

"A little more than nice if your coat smells like cologne," Lindsay laughed. Kelly shook her head. Keith was there at the lab again. He was watching her work.

"I can't work evidence if you are watching me," Kelly told him. He laughed and grabbed some gloves to help her process evidence.

"Stop, Keith, you can't work this case," Kelly warned him. He put the gloves down and smiled.

"Yes, ma'am," he mock saluted. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"I'm almost done documenting then I'm free for lunch," Kelly flirted. Keith eyed her smiling.

"So does your friend, Hawkes, know about us?" he asked.

"I didn't tell him about last night if that's what you mean. Why?" Kelly finished documenting the evidence and was putting it back.

"Well, he was the one that told me that I should ask you out," Keith said.

"That was sweet of him," Kelly was surprised Hawkes would do that.

"Yeah, I mean if he didn't I wouldn't have even considered asking you out. I mean. Just forget I said anything," Keith realized his mistake a little too late. Kelly had the evidence back in the box and was taking her gloves off when she heard what he said.

"Well, that's good to know," Kelly walked off.

"Wait," Keith called after her.

"Why don't you date Stella because then I can watch as Mac beats the crap out of you. You know nothing about women," Kelly told him. She went to the break room. Hawkes was in there along with Mac, Stella, Danny, and Lindsay.

"There he is Dr. Brilliance himself," Kelly said about Hawkes.

"So what's wrong?" Hawkes asked.

"Thanks for setting me up on that date," Kelly said. Her sarcasm sliced the through the tension.

"I thought it went well," Lindsay told her.

"I don't think this is any of your business," Kelly replied.

"Which is exactly why they are talking so everyone can hear," Danny said.

"Look that's officially the worst date I've had," Kelly said angrily.

"And probably the only one," someone said from the hallway.

"Oh, burn," the person standing next to the first person said.

"Greg and Niki, what a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?" Kelly asked.

"The forensic conference. We are coming so Grissom doesn't have to," Niki said. Kelly nodded.

"Well, this is the team. This is Mac, Stella, Danny, Lindsay, and Hawkes," Higgins introduced them.

"So is the hot guy here for the conference too?" Niki asked.

"Yeah," Kelly told her. She was ticked at this guy.

"They were just talking about him," Stella said.

"I'm not sure if I got the right murder weapon," Danny said.

"I think we can figure it out," Mac told him. Danny, Stella, Mac, and Lindsay left for Reconstruction.

"It's too quiet in here," Niki went to turn on the radio.

"Don't" Hawkes and Higgins tried to stop her. It was too late. The radio started blasting music extremely loud. Niki tried to turn it down, but it was broken. She couldn't turn it off so Kelly pulled the plug out. Mac came in very ticked. Kelly decided to take the blame.

"Okay, before you say anything, it was me. I did it," Kelly confessed.

"This is the third time this month, Kelly. It's either this or bringing your personal life into the lab," Mac said.

"The first time you asked, Mac Taylor. I told you I was fine, but no we had to see that yes my ex did break my arm. Well, you should have seen what I did to him," Kelly replied angrily. Just what she needed to do in front of her friends was fight with Mac.

"Look, I'm not trying to embarrass you in front of your friends. So, my office, now," Mac ordered. She walked over to the office.

"It was just music," Kelly said.

"No, it was blatant disrespect. Look, you may not like me, but I am your boss. I should be treated as one," Mac told her. Kelly just sighed.

"It wasn't me who turned it on. I'm not going to get my friend in trouble. She didn't know that the radio was busted," Kelly confessed.

"Oh," Mac was not expecting that.

**After Notes: The Friends always do seem to have weird boyfriends like when Monica dated the waiter.**


	3. The One With The Unwilling Undercovers

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines.**

**Notes: Two shots down X amount to go. Like always enjoy.**

**The One With The Unwilling Undercovers**

"Mac, why does it have to be us?" Kelly expressed her dismay at his decision. Hawkes wasn't going to say anything. He was quite happy with this. Hawkes leaned against the glass wall of Mac's office smiling.

"This is your assignment. Treat it as such," Mac ordered.

"But why us?" Kelly insisted on him answering the question. Mac sighed.

"I would rather that my CSI's not do this, but I have no choice. Danny and Lindsay are out on a case with Stella, and I have paperwork I need to do," Mac replied. He had purposely waited to do the paperwork. He didn't want to do the assignment so he passed it on to his CSI's. Danny and Lindsay had gotten the call out before the assignment, and Mac didn't want Stella doing this either. Now, Hawkes and Higgins were stuck with it. Kelly walked out of the office angry. Hawkes followed her but in a better mood. It's not that she didn't like Hawkes. She just wasn't sure how much she liked him. Ever since Lindsay told her about his crush on her, Kelly couldn't decide what she felt.

"Well, after this is over we can laugh about it," Hawkes told her.

"Yeah," was all she could say. Hawkes looked at his watch.

"So what exactly are we doing?" Kelly asked him.

"You know that serial case. We are luring the killer," Hawkes replied.

"Isn't this one of those 1,000 things you must do before you die?" Kelly joked. Hawkes gave a half smile. Right now they could joke, but deep down both of them were afraid.

"Funny," Flack entered the room. He had two packets with him.

"No chance we can get out of this?" Kelly could still hope.

"No, sorry. Here are your new identities. Kelly, your new name is Laura Perry. Hawkes, your new name is David Hope," Flack handed them their ID cards. 'Laura' looked at her card.

"Nice picture," 'David' told her.

"Okay, just remember that this guy is targeting couples so to lure this crazy you two are going to have to act like a couple," Flack told them their assignments.

"This seems like it was taken from a book," Laura replied. David laughed. Flack smiled.

"Look, you two need to be at Club Fury in an hour. Don't worry there will be cops around. I wouldn't let my two friends go in there unprotected. We just need to catch this guy in the act," Flack tried to explain. 

Laura nodded. She knew that by catching him in the act Flack meant the guy trying to lure David and herself.

"How long are we going to be undercover?" David asked.

"Until we get this guy. I will take you two there," Flack said. The 'couple' handed him their badges, their way of agreeing. David put his arm around her shoulder. Laura had his arm off her and twisted behind him in two seconds flat.

"You try that again before we go undercover, and they will never find your body," Laura threatened. David backed up and rubbed his shoulder.

"Do not mess this up. You have to pull this off. If you don't, I can't promise your safety," Flack told them seriously.

"Stop scaring them," Stella walked in with Mac.

"I'm serious," Flack smiled.

"That's low even for you, Flack," Mac told him.

"If they can't act like a couple, we might not able to protect them," Flack shrugged.

"Maybe you didn't look very closely at Kelly's, excuse me, Laura's résumé. If you had, you would've known that she studied acting in college," Mac said. Laura gave a smug look to Flack.

"Yeah, you wouldn't know if I was acting or not. Remember when I told you that you looked good in that purple tinted tie? I still can't believe that I could keep a straight face during that," Laura told him. Flack glared.

"You two will do fine, and remember we're watching so don't mess up," Stella told her.

"Thanks. So this means that you three are going to use this whole relationship thing as blackmail," Laura stated.

"Yeah, pretty much," Flack laughed. Flack decided that it would be a good time to head to the club. Laura stopped him in the hallway.

"I swear if you ever use this as blackmail, Mac will know exactly what you and Angell were doing in the lab last week," Laura threatened. Flack nodded in agreement. Some things should never be told. They walked down to the garage. Ten minutes later, they were at the club. When Laura and David entered, they couldn't find one undercover cop in there. Flack's guys could do a good job, Laura thought. David took her hand. He led her to the bar. He ordered two beers. Sipping hers, Laura scanned the horizon. The DJ was the man they were looking for. His name was Tanner Runt. Now all they had to do was catch the eye of the killer.

"May I have this dance?" David whispered in her ear. He led her out to the floor for a slow song. It was _One _by _U2_.

"This is the only club in the city that will play this song," Laura told him. David pulled her closer. If they weren't in the moment, they would have heard Flack stifling his laughter. The music was to loud anyway to hear out of their ear pieces. Many hours later, they were both tired. They weren't going to catch this guy on their first try, and they knew it. David had his arm around her waist and took her out of the club. He took her to their address for the undercover job. Lurking in the shadows, a man went after them. A man named Tanner Runt. After him, another man went. He was following the DJ. He was the first cop Laura had met. He volunteered to do this for Laura. David and Laura reached the new place. It was nice. One bedroom, a half bath, kitchen, and a dining/living room made up the apartment. David got the couch ready for him to sleep on. Laura sighed. The play was still on in her mind. They had to act like a couple.

"Whoa there, Romeo, the curtain hasn't fallen. The play is still on," Laura told him. She went and explored the kitchen. She was hungry. The fridge was stocked with a dozen eggs and a half gallon of milk. She looked for some sort of pan to cook in. There was nothing in the cabinets. Well, a note from Flack telling them that they couldn't cook the eggs on a skillet, and there were no cups to drink the milk with. She made a mental reminder to get revenge on Flack no matter what he did with the audio from this. Right now she was tired and needed sleep. She finished getting ready to sleep. Under her side of the mattress, she put a knife. She always had it near her. David was sitting on top of the covers. He had a white tank top on and sweats. He was reading a medical journal. Laura sat down.

"Is that interesting?" she asked not really caring. David looked up.

"No not at all," he put it down. He took his glasses off.

"Night," Laura yawned. Hawkes told her the same.

"Night," Flack said through the ear pieces. The CSI's took them out. With the lights turned out, the exhausted 'couple' fell asleep swiftly. It was an uneasy night of sleep, but finally they got up. After a few weeks, this was routine. Flack finally had given them items for the kitchen. They even were getting 'mail' from people. Most of them were just things they needed to do as a part of the undercover job. That morning they got a package. Inside was a small woman's ring. Laura was busy making breakfast. David put the ring in its case in his pocket. Laura hadn't seen it. She sat down with the breakfast she made. She put a plate of pancakes in front of David.

"You are the best cook. You realize that," David finished his breakfast.

"I don't like to brag," Laura smiled. David helped her with the dishes. They spent the rest of the day doing little things in the apartment. Laura was starting to miss hers. It wasn't much, but it was home in the city. It was a routine every day. With this undercover job, nothing was predictable. She was not prepared for what would happen that night.

"I think the curtain call is coming soon," David said. They walked to Club Fury. He talked to the DJ for a minute besides the fact that he was a serial killer. An hour later, the music stopped.

"This next song is to a special couple. David and Laura, here's to you," the serial said. _Sweetest Thing _by _U2_ came on. David and Laura danced to it. The music stopped again. Laura saw David get on one knee. She put her hand over her mouth. She had no idea he was doing this.

"Laura Perry, ever since I met you I knew you were the one for me. Will you marry me?" David asked. Every one turned to see what she said.

"Yes, I will David Hope. I love you," Laura was no longer acting. Laura had fallen in love with David rather Kelly had fallen in love with Hawkes. David put the ring on her and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Laura returned it. The moment was theirs.

"Let's hear it for the happy couple," the DJ said. Every one applauded. A faster paced song came on. The undercover CSI's didn't notice the change in DJ's. Tanner Runt came up to them.

"Can I buy you two some drinks to celebrate this?" he asked them. Laura didn't let her fear show.

"Thanks," David said.

"I know a great place a couple of blocks from here," the DJ told them.

"Okay," Laura agreed. The DJ led them out into the street where he pulled a gun on them. Laura could only hope Flack was nearby. David held her close.

"Why?" she asked.

"I can remember my dad killing my sister and her boyfriend. That's why," Tanner replied.

"You don't want to do this," David said.

"Why not?" Tanner fingered the trigger.

"NYPD!" Flack and six other officers came to the CSI's rescue. The suspect still fingered the weapon.

"Drop the gun," Mac told Tanner. Mac had his gun at the DJ's temple. Tanner slowly bent down and dropped the gun. He rose again. He put his hands on his head. A patrol officer patted him down to see if he had another gun. Flack handcuffed him and put him in a squad car.

"You two okay?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. A little on edge because of the gun," Kelly replied.

"I think I will be back to work on Monday," Hawkes said. Kelly agreed. Flack handed her badge back to her and her car keys to her. After saying good bye to the men, she left for her apartment. She put her keys on her counter. She lay down on the couch. After an hour, she couldn't sleep. Something wasn't right. Kelly drove quickly. She rang the doorbell.

"Hello," Hawkes said not expecting her.

"I couldn't sleep," Kelly said.

**After notes: Yes, I know the new CSI:NY had an undercover in it. I swear I didn't steal that idea. What happens with Hawkes and Higgins? I guess you are going to have to wait to find out. I'm going to wait for some reviews before I post again. **


	4. The One With Hawkes and Higgins Gone

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters. If I did Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I'm not going to write about where I left off. I'm writing about what happened the month while Hawkes and Higgins were gone. You can make suggestions for chapters would you like. I may not use them, but I will try. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With Hawkes and Higgins Gone**

Stella was walking out of the lab when she caught sight of Mac looking at a case file. That's weird, she thought. He was supposed to be meeting her by her car. They were supposed to be going out to dinner. Instead, Mac was standing behind his desk. Stella decided to confront him.

"Mac," she started sternly. He looked up. Mac wasn't expecting her. Looking at his watch, Mac realized why Stella was there. He put his head down in guilt.

"Stell, I'm sorry. It's this case. Can I have a rain check?" Mac pleaded with her. Stella pretended to think for a minute. She would end up arguing with him, but in the end he would win. That was how it always was. Stella was determined to break this.

"Mac, this is what happens every time. You work on a case until you can't stay awake anymore. You can't keep doing this," Stella put her hand on his arm. Mac looked up at her.

"Stella, I know. I just have to solve this," Mac took his left hand and held her hand in his. He didn't like cancelling on her. He hated it in fact. Mac wanted to make it up to her, but he didn't know how. He let go of her hand and picked up the case file. She took it from him.

"Mac, get out of this office, now, please," Stella tacked it on as an afterthought.

"You know I want to. I can't, Stella," Mac pleaded. Here's the part where he wins, Stella thought.

"Mac, if you want to stay, fine. That means I'm staying too," Stella told him.

"I won't do this to you. Go home, get some sleep," Mac said. It was more of an order. Stella stood there. This time she refused to yield.

"You took me to work this morning. My car is at my place. Mac, let's get something to eat," Stella wouldn't leave until Mac gave in. After a hard fight of stare downs, Mac sighed and got his coat. He drove to a café near the lab. He enjoyed the dinner. He put the case in the back of his mind. After driving her apartment, Mac walked her up. They stood by her door saying nothing.

"Well, I guess this is good night. Unless…" Stella trailed off.

"Unless, what?" Mac asked already knowing the question.

"Unless, you would like to come in," Stella offered. Mac gave a smile. The door closed behind them.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

"Look, at the two of them Danny," Lindsay told him. Danny looked up from his work. Mac and Stella were coming into the lab together.

"I'm looking, but what am I looking at?" Danny had no idea what it meant when the two head CSI's came in together. Lindsay rolled her eyes.

"They are coming in together. What do you think happened?" Lindsay asked.

"He probably just gave her a ride. It doesn't have to mean that, Montana," Danny said.

"Last night they left together, and this morning they came in together," Lindsay replied knowingly. Danny finally saw her point.

"There are more important things to worry about," Danny told her.

"Like what?" Lindsay asked.

"Like where I'm going to take you for our anniversary dinner," Danny smiled. Lindsay smiled too.

"I don't really care," Lindsay told him. Danny gave her a flirty look.

"I do. This is special. We have to celebrate a year without the lab knowing. I want to celebrate it with the most beautiful girl in the world," Danny put his arm around her. He gave her a peck on the cheek. The most he could risk in the lab. Lindsay smiled. She loved them being together.

"Back to work, Casanova," Lindsay mock ordered. In return, Danny gave her a salute. Ten minutes later, Stella came in with Mac walking next to her. Lindsay noticed Mac had his hand on Stella's lower back as he led her into the layout room. Lindsay would tell Danny that she was right later. Now, it was time to solve this case.

"What do you have?" Mac asked. He was standing a little too near Stella to pull off the just friends bid.

"Nothing except a suspect who we know did it, but we can't place him there," Lindsay said. Mac nodded.

"Are you sure he did it?" Mac asked her.

"That's what she said," Danny replied. Danny and Lindsay started bursting out laughing for what seemed like no reason at all. Mac rolled his eyes. He knew what that meant.

"Okay, you two, settle down," Mac told them. Danny and Lindsay stopped laughing and started to concentrate on the case. Finally they found the suspect's print on the murder weapon in blood. Mac and Stella went down to interrogation and wrapped up the case. They were sitting down at the table showing the crime scene pictures to the murderer. Flack was walking behind the suspect. The guy caved pretty quickly. Quicker than normal, thought Mac. He was out of the room in five minutes.

"Angell and I are going to Sullivan's for some coffee. Do you two want to join us?" Flack asked them.

"We actually planned on dinner after shift," Mac replied. Stella and he had discussed it the night before.

"Maybe some other time," Flack walked out. Mac stood up.

"So where do you want to eat?" Mac asked her. She stood up and walked out with him.

"Seafood sounds nice," Stella said.

"I know just the place," Mac replied. They smiled at each other and walked to the garage to drive to the restaurant. On the other side of the garage, Lindsay and Danny were getting in a car and drove to a surprise location for their anniversary dinner. Danny was driving, and Lindsay was blindfolded. Danny wanted it to be a true surprise. Danny led Lindsay up the steps of his apartment building. He told her to hang on a second. He got a blanket, a basket of food, candles, matches, glasses, and a bottle of wine. He then led her to the roof. Danny set up the picnic dinner on the blanket he set up the candles all around and lit them. He opened the bottle of wine and poured two glasses for them. He untied the blindfold.

"Montana, I want you to see the most beautiful city in the world. It goes with the most beautiful girl in the world," Danny said. Lindsay gasped. The view was spectacular. The lights of the city shone so brightly, but it was so romantic. Lindsay took a glass of wine and sat down next to Danny.

"Danny, you have out done yourself," Lindsay kissed him softly. They finished the candle light picnic. Afterwards, they just lay down and looked at the skyline. Danny looked over at Lindsay. He couldn't believe that he ended up with such a beautiful woman.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she replied. Then they started to kiss. First it was very soft, and then Danny deepened it. Danny's shirt was now off. Lindsay's was almost there.

DLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDLDL

Mac woke up with Stella in his arms. They were both fully clothed.

"Mac, what time is it," Stella woke up. He looked at his watch.

"Shift doesn't start for another two hours. I'm going to get up and get ready," Mac kissed her cheek. Stella decided that she might as well get up too.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

"Mac, do you want some coffee?" Stella asked. He walked over to her.

"Yeah," Mac accepted the cup of coffee. He pulled out a chair for her. She gracefully sat down. Mac took a seat next to her. He had his hand on the back of her chair. Danny and Lindsay watched this interaction from the hallway.

"I am telling you. They are together," Lindsay said. Danny shook his head.

"No, they are just good friends," Danny was sure. There is no way Mac and Stella are together, he thought.

**After Notes: A little shorter than the last chapter. I am open for suggestions for future chapters. I might go one more without Hawkes and Higgins. Again I won't post if you don't review. Push the button. You know you want to. Feed into the urge. Press the button.**


	5. The One With The Night Shift and After

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I owned the CSI:NY characters, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I've been a little busy because of a History test. I don't know how you can make a war so boring, but my teacher has succeeded at that. We found a dead bunny is sad. I'm convinced it's my plot bunny. On with the story and like always, enjoy. **

**The One With The Night Shift and Afterwards**

With Hawkes and Higgins gone, the CSI's were working double shifts with little to no sleep in between them. Danny, Lindsay, and Adam had worked out a system of getting sleep during shift. Mac seemed to have not noticed that every time one of the three of them went to get a result they were gone for an hour. Seemed being the key word. Honestly, he knew what they were doing but was too exhausted to talk to them about it. Stella was lively that night since she had a full night of sleep the night before.

"Mac, do you want some coffee?" Stella entered his office. Mac snapped out of his daze.

"Yeah, sure," he got up out of his chair. If it got him up, Mac was in for it. When they got to the break room, no one was in there.

"I thought they would be in here," Stella stated. Mac just looked at her shaking his head and smiling.

"No, they are somewhere in the lab sleeping. I don't blame them," Mac replied. It was past midnight. Mac wasn't sure of the last time he slept. It might have been the day before. All of the caffeine made it hard to remember anything.

"Here you go," Stella handed him a cup of coffee. Mac held it as if he was waiting for it to cool a few degrees.

"Thanks. What were you doing for the past three hours?" he asked taking a sip of the coffee.

"Tox," she handed him the results.

"Chloroform," Mac read.

"Well, we know why the vic didn't struggle. Do you have the trace results yet?" Stella asked. In the lab, the two of them were becoming very good at hiding their relationship. A case took the number one priority in most circumstances.

"No, Adam was working on it last. The hour before it was Lindsay, and the hour before that it was Danny," Mac smiled. Stella gave a half laugh.

"Let's go get those results," Stella said. Mac followed absentmindedly. In the trace lab, Lindsay, Danny, and Adam were all asleep. Adam was leaning on a table snoring slightly. Danny was sitting in a chair as if he was looking at the screen. Lindsay was leaning back in the swivel chair next to Danny. Mac cleared his throat. They all stirred and woke up.

"Mac, I was just resting my eyes," Danny replied yawning. He put his glasses back on. Adam stood up very quickly and went over to the printer. Lindsay leaned forward and rubbed her eyes.

"Newspaper ink?" Mac asked bewildered. Adam nodded.

"So newspaper ink and chloroform," Stella said. None of this made sense. That was probably why it was a cold case.

"When are they coming back?" Adam yawned.

"Tomorrow, wait no eight o'clock this morning," Mac said looking at his watch. Lindsay and Danny groaned. Adam was half asleep again. The others just left him like this. Danny was starting to nod off. Lindsay was fighting sleep. Even Mac was struggling to fight the urge to go into his office and sleep on his couch. Stella was watching the others trying to stay awake and smiled to herself.

"I'm going to get some coffee or water or something," Mac said to no one in particular. Adam, Danny, and Lindsay didn't hear him. Stella went back to her office. The hours passed slowly. Every minute seemed like an hour. Finally, eight rolled around. Mac came into Stella's office.

"Kelly just came in. When Hawkes comes, I will get him working with her on some cold cases. Then I will go home and get some sleep," Mac told her.

"And I'm in charge of the lab?" she asked. Mac gave a half smile despite how tired he was.

"Of course," Mac replied. He didn't trust the lab in anyone else's care.

"Oh, and Mac, don't drive. Take a cab," she ordered. He was too tired to argue. He nodded and walked out. Kelly was in the trace lab talking to Danny and Lindsay. They had slept since Mac had left the trace lab and were a little more awake. Mac walked in.

"Kelly, I want you to work on this case. When Hawkes comes in, he will assist you. Where is he?" Mac asked. Kelly looked down for a second.

"Why would I know where he is?" Kelly asked a little too quickly. Mac, Danny, and Lindsay all looked at her.

"I was just asking. No need to get defensive. Is there anything you would like to share with the class?" Mac questioned.

"No. I'm just in my own little world," Kelly shook her head. She put on a pair of gloves. She hoped they wouldn't think that. Sure it was true, but it hadn't happened like that.

"_Hello," Hawkes said not expecting her._

"_I couldn't sleep," Kelly said. He stepped over and let her in still shocked. _

"_Umm…" Hawkes started not knowing what to say. Why was she there? He couldn't believe that the woman he loved was standing in front of him telling him that she couldn't sleep._

"_Lindsay told me," Kelly said. _

"_Told you what?" Hawkes asked._

"_I feel the same," Kelly replied. Did she say what he thought she said? He didn't say anything. Kelly started, "I guess I shouldn't have told you…"_

_She didn't finish. Hawkes pulled her into a passionate kiss._

Kelly smiled. She continued working on evidence. Hawkes came into the trace lab five minutes later. Mac, Danny, and Lindsay turned their attention to him.

"Sorry, I over slept," Hawkes explained.

"Bet he hooked up with someone," Danny whispered to Lindsay. She stifled a laugh. Still everyone heard this. Kelly stole a glance at Hawkes. A glance she would later regret. A glance Mac caught even though he had about three hours of sleep in the past two days.

"Um, Hawkes, get to work," Mac left the trace lab. Danny left soon after with Lindsay.

"What's up with Mac?" Hawkes asked.

"Apparently, the coffee ran out around three o'clock this morning. Get some gloves on," Kelly went back to processing some trace from a cold case.

"Alright. Stella in charge?" he wondered looking into Stella's office.

"Yeah," she focused on the chemicals she was placing into the test tube.

"Mac will be back here in a couple of hours," Hawkes told her.

"I definitely want to watch that fight," Kelly smiled.

CSI:NY

Kelly walked into the lab. She found Hawkes, Danny, and Lindsay in the DNA lab waiting for results. She saw Mac and Stella in his office. They were sitting on his couch close looking at a file. Mac had his hand over hers. She did a double take. Was that what she thought it was? She continued walking to the DNA lab.

"Guys. Mac. Stella. Hands," Kelly was so eager to tell them what she saw that she couldn't speak clearly.

"I think she's trying to say something. Quick, someone get the verbs," Danny said. Lindsay laughed and Hawkes smiled and nodded. Kelly gave a small glare and joined in on the laughing. Danny continued, "Okay, what Kelly?" He was still laughing.

"I saw Mac and Stella holding hands," Kelly blurted out. The rest just laughed.

"Yeah, even Lindsay claimed they were together," Danny didn't believe her.

"Well, I gave up on that. Anyway, April Fool's Day was like two weeks ago," Lindsay said.

"It just seems a little out there," Hawkes admitted.

"Fine, don't believe me," Kelly huffed in mock anger.

"I got your DNA results," Adam came in.

**After notes: Okay, I know my chapter may not have lived up to my past chapters. This chapter needed to be there. I have some better ones planned. Please review. You know you want to. Press that button! Feed into the desire! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, iluvthejoebros, GregRox, lily moonlight, and Blue Shadowdancer. You guys are my heroes!**


	6. The One With The Fake and Real Flirting

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Here we go. No worries. None of my characters are going to cheat on anyone. It's just having a bit of fun with the boss man. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Fake and Real Flirting**

Mac Taylor walked into the lab having folded his coat over his arm. Kelly, Danny, and Stella were in the break room. Kelly was sitting on the counter sipping coffee. Stella and Danny were sitting at the table talking. When Mac walked in, Kelly had the perfect idea of how to embarrass him. She wolf whistled at him.

"Looking good," Kelly told him with a straight face. Danny and Stella were laughing, and Mac was blushing.

"Liking the new shirt, Mac," Kelly continued. Mac had turned a deep shade of red. Danny and Stella were having trouble breathing they were laughing so hard. Kelly was enjoying this so much. She finished the coffee. Somehow she kept a straight face throughout this.

"The maroon looks nice on you. Brings out the color in your eyes," Kelly walked out. When they couldn't see or hear her anymore, she started laughing hard. She walked into the DNA lab. Hawkes was in there. He looked up at her. He gave her a puzzled look. She smiled and gave him a little wink.

"What was that for?" Hawkes wondered.

"Oh, nothing especially if Mac comes in," Kelly laughed.

"What did you do?" Hawkes slid up behind her and helped her put on a coat. He was too close for lab work or anything other than romantic purposes.

"I thought we were keeping this professional," Kelly turned around. They were too close. She could smell his new cologne. Now she regretted getting him this cologne for his birthday. It made her weak at the knees breathing it in.

"We have… uh… DNA to process," Kelly said trying to get back to work. Hawkes stepped back. It took all she could not to push him against the table and kiss him. It took that, and Mac walking in with Stella.

"Well, hello, Detective Taylor," Kelly 'flirted.' Hawkes and Stella started to stifle laughter. Mac rolled his eyes, but he still blushed. She gave a half wolf whistle. It was just a whistle to get under Mac's skin. She kept a straight face even though she was having more fun with him this time than in the break room. Kelly winked. Mac rubbed the bridge of his nose and ran a hand through his hair in embarrassment. He walked out of the DNA lab.

"Now I know how you get him to leave you alone while you work," Hawkes said throughout his laughter. Stella regained her composure. Kelly didn't smile or laugh. It was like she was actually seriously flirting with Mac, flirting with no quotes on it.

"Any results?" Stella asked them.

"Well, before Kelly came in, I got the results, but so far no hits in CODIS," Hawkes stopped laughing. He looked over at Kelly. Could he have found a more perfect girl to fall for? He didn't think so. She looked beautiful that morning.

"Hawkes, buddy, are you okay? My eyes are up here," Kelly smiled. Hawkes snapped out of his daze and blushed. He looked down at his report he was handing to Stella. She left to find Mac and give him the report. Hawkes slid right up against Kelly. He put his hands on her waist.

"Hawkes, are you insane? Mac could come in," Kelly didn't exactly want to stop him so she didn't. He kissed her on the cheek and was about to move to in on her mouth when they heard someone clearing their throat. Hawkes took a step back. They looked at who cleared their throat. Had it been Mac, they would have had a heart attack. There in the doorway was none other than Detective Don Flack. His face was both shocked and amused.

"Well, I suppose I should tell Mac," Flack began to walk away. Hawkes and Kelly looked at each other for a fraction of a second. Kelly sprinted and pinned Flack to a wall. Hawkes was behind her.

"I swear that if you ever tell Mac I will not stop before he knows everything that you and Angell did in this lab," Kelly threatened. Flack got the message loud and clear.

"I just never would have guessed you two. When did this happen? After the undercover thing right?" Flack asked. Kelly nodded.

"Just be more careful in the lab," Flack warned. It took all she could to not yell something like hark who's talking. She knew that if she did Flack would tell Mac. It was going so well between Hawkes and her. Now someone knew. How would this change things?

"Kelly, Hawkes, what the heck are you two doing to Flack?" Danny asked.

"You see, Hawkes, this is how you pin someone against the wall," Kelly was trying to cover her tracks. Hawkes nodded.

"I'll be sure to note that," Hawkes replied. Kelly let go of Flack. He made a quick getaway. Kelly and Hawkes turned towards Danny.

"Need some moves for your girlfriend, Sheldon?" Danny asked. Kelly and Hawkes looked straight at him.

"No, I'm good in that area," Hawkes answered. Kelly decided to leave those two and go to the break room. Stella and Mac were in there. Kelly stood outside coming up with another line to use on Mac. This 

was too much fun. She knew she was pushing it, but even though she would probably end up with two weeks of night shift, it was worth it.

"Mac, flirting with Stella? You just broke my heart," Kelly couldn't keep a straight face this time. Stella was laughing with her.

"Sorry, but I was not flirting," Mac scowled.

"Yeah right," Kelly said knowing about the two of them. Mac glared at her. He was sick of the 'flirting.' He was not in a good mood for ten o'clock in the morning.

"Okay, just trying to add some humor to the lab," Kelly put her hands up. She then added, "Anything on the case? You haven't talked to Flack yet, have you?"

"Nothing new. No we haven't talked to him yet," Stella said. Kelly breathed an inward sigh of relief.

**Notes: Short I know. I just wanted to have some fun playing around with Mac. I am watching the episode Jamalot so that is where I got the idea of messing with Mac. I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, Blue Shadowdancer, lily moonlight, CSIMiami 17, and iluvthejoebros. If you haven't read their stories, you are missing out. These guys are my heroes! I'm serious. These guys have taken time out of their days to review my story so why don't you. Just push the button. It's a desire that needs to be fed. I wrote all that for you. Now it's your turn to write something for me. Please :D!**


	7. The One Where Mac Finds Out

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I owned CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Where Mac Finds Out**

"Did you know that humor is spelled h-u-m-o-u-r in England?" Kelly told Mac.

"Yeah. Why does this matter?" he asked confused. Kelly shrugged.

"I don't know. I just thought it was interesting," Kelly went back to reading a newspaper.

"Did you know that annoying is spelled the same way in England?" Mac asked. Kelly made a face from behind her newspaper so Mac wouldn't see it.

"I could say something," Kelly turned the page of the newspaper.

"But you won't," Mac finished.

"Says you," Kelly mumbled under her breath. Mac pretended not to hear.

"Okay, good. You two didn't kill each other while I got my case file," Stella said walking in. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Why do you even have that paper?" Mac asked.

"I don't remember. Something about world events," Kelly answered sarcastically. Mac was in a better mood that day since it was his anniversary with Stella. It was Hawkes' and Higgins' one month anniversary the next week. Hawkes knocked on the door to Mac's office.

"I have the trace results," he told them. In the distance, Danny and Lindsay were walking and fighting. Hawkes came into the office.

"What's this about?" Mac asked. He was referring to the bickering CSI's.

"Danny slept with Rikki and by doing so cheated on Lindsay," Kelly answered still reading her paper. The others in the room turned towards her.

"What?" Stella asked.

"Oh, so it's rude to listen in on conversations. Hmm," Kelly told them. Hawkes gave her a look which she matched.

"I was joking. I could hear them from the other side of the lab," Kelly assured them. Danny and Lindsay came closer.

"I don't think we should listen," Hawkes stated the obvious. They turned their attention to the case file. They could not figure this out. It didn't help that Danny and Lindsay were fighting.

"We should get out of here," Stella said.

"I wanted to tell you, but Hawkes and Flack told me not to," Danny explained. Kelly and Stella looked at the doctor.

"You did what?" they asked at the same time. Hawkes really wanted the earth to swallow him. Kelly gave him a _you are so sleeping on the couch tonight_ look.

"Doc, way to go," Kelly said as she got up to go out. Hawkes watched her leave. She went to reconstruction to find the murder weapon. She was mad at Hawkes for doing that. If Danny had told Lindsay, for one thing there wouldn't be a huge fight in the lab, and two maybe Danny and Lindsay could get over this quicker. It was Danny and Lindsay. They had to make it through this. An hour later, she had found the specific type of knife. Well, it wasn't exactly a knife. It was an X-Acto blade. She paged Mac and Stella. Instead of them coming, Hawkes did.

"I'm sorry, Kelly. I didn't want to ruin their relationship. I just didn't think it was the best thing to do at the time. Again, I'm sorry," Hawkes told her as soon as he walked in. Kelly looked up.

"It's not that. It's just that would you not tell me if you cheated on me?" Kelly asked.

"I'm different than Danny," Hawkes said.

"Right. You wouldn't ask. You just wouldn't say anything," Kelly rolled her eyes. Hawkes was ready for her to say that. He knew what to tell her. He would tell her the truth.

"No, I would never have cheated in the first place," Hawkes said. Kelly smiled. She knew he meant it. She didn't care that she was in the lab. She stood up on her tip toes and kissed him. She went back down and hugged him.

"Thanks," Kelly and Hawkes got back to work. Mac and Stella came in a minute later.

"Anything?" Mac asked. Kelly showed him the X-Acto blade.

"So we know what the weapon is, but we don't know where it is," Stella stated. Kelly nodded.

"Are they still fighting?" Kelly asked.

"You couldn't hear them?" Mac wondered. Kelly showed them her iPod. She had one earphone in her ear. Her most played was _Talk _by _Coldplay_.

"So Mac, are you going to do anything about the fighting?" Kelly asked. Mac sighed.

"He tried. Twice," Stella said.

"They won't listen. So they have the rest of the day off," Mac replied. Kelly nodded. Finally, she could hear herself think.

"Okay," Kelly walked out. Hawkes followed.

"I forgot to tell you. Our anniversary is next week, and I got reservations at Speck. That restaurant you really wanted to try. They are for Tuesday at seven. I already asked Mac, and we got the evening off. Don't worry he doesn't suspect a thing," Hawkes reassured her.

"You are the best," Kelly said. Mac and Stella watched them walk out.

"Look at them," Stella said.

"Yeah," Mac replied.

"Those two have been best friends since Kelly came to the team," Stella told him.

"Yeah," Mac nodded.

"You could pretend to care at least," Stella said.

"But I really do," Mac's sarcasm was obvious. Stella rolled her eyes.

"They are taking the evening off on Tuesday. The funny thing is so are we," Mac said.

"What?" Stella was confused.

"I made reservations at that place that got amazing reviews. Speck, I think it's called. They are for 7:15," Mac told her. Little did either couples know was that their so called secret relationships weren't going to stay that way for long.

**After Notes: Still short, but it will get longer. I never said that Mac would find out about Hawkes and Higgins. Oh yeah the next one shot is going to be fun. That little shout out at the beginning was for my British reviewers. You know who you are. I would like to thank my reviewers: GregRox, lily moonlight, Blue Shadowdancer, CSIMiami17, and luf100! You guy rock my world! If you haven't read their stories, you are missing out. Though some of them like cliffhangers a little too much, they are amazing authors. Okay I wrote that for you. Now, please write a review. Oh that rhymed! Please push the button. You know you want to!**


	8. The One Where Higgins Was Right

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Well, I have been thinking. I have not had a shouting match yet. Well, I guess you could call the Danny/Lindsay fight a shouting match. I mean a true shouting match. I'm actually kind of known for them. Mac and Kelly can really just go at it. Not in the pervy way because I know some of you think that. Mac and Stella are together. Get your heads out of the gutter. Gosh, you are so wrong. Anyway Kelly and Hawkes are together. Duh. You stop the Q-Tip when there's resistance. Like I said, I have not had a true fight. It is something I really enjoy writing. Plus, my all time favorite episodes are the fights between Stella and Mac. I know I'm a SMacked fan, but they always make up. It's just those two going at it keeps their friendship real. Oh and this is for you Blue Shadowdancer. I missed Stella kissing Mac on the cheek in Right Next Door. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Where Higgins Was Right**

"Autopsy results?" Mac asked Kelly when she walked into the layout room. She handed him the file. Looking at her watch, she saw that not only had she been at the lab for less than an hour, but also that she had five hours till lunch. She overslept and had to rush to the lab with no breakfast. It wasn't her fault that the building's power went out and her phone died. It was just one of those days. Also her hometown hockey team, the Dallas Stars, had lost the night before to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. The final score was 4 to 2. Now she was in a bad mood because of that. At least her iPod was working.

"Kelly? You with us?" Stella asked. Kelly turned to her snapping out of her train of thought.

"Uh… yeah," Kelly replied. She knew she would be reprimanded for not listening, but she wasn't concerned about that.

"Okay, what's your answer?" Mac asked.

"Sorry, I wasn't listening. Didn't think it was important," Kelly shrugged. This is the part where they scold me, Kelly thought. Also the part where I don't listen, she laughed silently. She wondered if they would notice if she put her iPod in. She decided not to risk another scolding which could go dangerously close to an interrogation. To her surprise, Mac decided not to say anything. Stella didn't press it either. It was not like them to not say something to her about it.

"You okay?" Stella was concerned.

"Yeah, anything on that trace I collected?" Kelly replied. There was nothing at that time. The three CSI's looked at the crime scene photos. In the next lab over, Hawkes and Danny were processing some clothes.

"How are things?" Hawkes asked him.

"Good," Danny wasn't sure why Hawkes cared.

"I mean with Lindsay," Hawkes looked very closely at a stain on the shirt he was processing. Danny put down the tweezers when he heard Lindsay's name.

"I messed up in a big way. How am I supposed to make it up to her?" Danny asked.

"The last time I gave you advice I got in a heap of trouble with Kelly," Hawkes cut out a piece of the stain. He bagged it for trace.

"You and Kelly?" Danny asked. Hawkes realized his mistake.

"I wish," Hawkes covered his tracks quickly. Danny believed him. It had come up once or twice that Hawkes liked Kelly more than he should as a friend.

"I really don't know how to make it up to Lindsay," Danny sighed.

"Look, you messed up in a big way. You have to make it up to her in a bigger way," Hawkes advised. They got back to work. After a glance at his watch, Hawkes saw that lunch was still an hour away. He sighed but took the samples to trace.

"Hey," Kelly said from where she was sitting in the trace lab.

"I thought you were working with Mac and Stella," Hawkes turned.

"Yeah, well, I was really bored. Anyway, I need to tell you something. Actually, it's more of a bet," Kelly told him.

"What?" Hawkes asked. He knew she didn't bet unless she was guaranteed to win. Still, she had to lose sometime.

"Mac and Stella," Kelly began.

"For the hundredth time are not together," Hawkes said.

"Fine then you won't lose if you bet," Kelly replied. Hawkes saw her point.

"What will I win?" he asked.

"Two hundred dollars if I'm wrong. If I'm right, you get my rookie duties for one month," Kelly said. Hawkes agreed. They shook on it, and Kelly returned to the layout room with the trace report.

"What took you so long?" Mac asked. Adam had paged them an hour before.

"I lost track of time?" Kelly wasn't sure that would work as a good excuse. Mac and Stella looked at her funny.

"You lost track of time?" Stella repeated as a question.

"So is there a policy against betting in the lab?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah, why?" Mac wondered. Kelly looked away. Crap, she thought.

"No reason," Kelly looked at the pictures on the table. Oh well, she decided. Taking a magnifying glass in one hand and a picture in the other, she went over every little detail in that picture. Still, she found nothing new. Finally, she saw that it was past noon so she took a lunch break. She came back after an hour to work on the case. Finally, she got off.

……………………………………………………………………

"Well, hello Detective Higgins," Hawkes told her when he came to pick her up for their anniversary dinner. She was wearing a red dress and heels. She had her hair down. He eyed her up and down.

"Doctor," she took his arm as he led her to his car. They arrived at Speck a few minutes before seven.

"The name on the reservation?" the host asked.

"Sheldon," Hawkes told him. Kelly looked at him.

"Right this way," the host led them to a table in the back. The lights were dimmed in the restaurant. There was a lit candle shining a flickering light on the single red rose in the long silver vase. Hawkes pulled out Kelly's chair for her, like a true gentleman.

"Thank you, Sheldon," she emphasized calling him Sheldon seeing as she never did. He blushed a little.

"If I use Hawkes, they think I'm joking. No one seems to believe it's my last name," he told her. She smiled a little. It was quiet for a minute. Neither minded the silence.

"So, did you see the game last night?" Hawkes asked.

"I really don't want to talk about it," Kelly replied smiling. It wasn't her fault that all Dallas teams seemed to choke in the playoffs. They continued to talk about sports while the waiter didn't, well, wait on them. Finally, the man got them something to drink.

"Thank you," they told him even though they were mad at their lack of service. There were barely any tables occupied. Through the annoyance, Kelly saw something that made her smile.

"What?" Hawkes asked.

"Remember that bet we made?" she was visibly excited.

"Vaguely," Hawkes gave a slight laugh.

"I hope you enjoy your rookie duties," she smiled. Hawkes turned around. There in the entrance were Mac and Stella.

"You have got to be kidding me," Hawkes also smiled.

"I say we ignore them. We came here for our anniversary. Though I do want to say something to them," Kelly admitted.

"I say you are right, but maybe not about saying something to them," Hawkes took her hand. They continued talking about sports and favorite teams. Though, it was mainly about baseball. Kelly was faithful to her hometown team, the Texas Rangers, while Hawkes was for the Yankees. The waiter took forever to get over to them to take their food orders, but he did get over there. Before he did, Kelly noticed something and laughed.

"Unbelievable," she said.

"What?" Hawkes asked confused.

"Mac and Stella are getting so much better service," she laughed softly. Even though Hawkes and Higgins got their food first, they couldn't deny that Mac and Stella were getting so much better service.

"Would you like any dessert? We have a cheesecake that is phenomenal," the waiter said.

"That's okay. We would like the check," Hawkes said. The two CSI's wondered how such a nice restaurant could have such bad service. It was laughable. They walked outside into the city streets. Not far behind them, Mac and Stella came out of the restaurant. When Kelly saw them, she stopped for a minute.

"Hold on. I have wanted to say this for like thirty minutes," Kelly told Hawkes who sighed and rolled his eyes. Mac held the door for Stella.

"I'm telling you. She really looked like Higgins," Stella told him. Mac shook his head and smiled. He kissed her lightly. Hawkes and Higgins were walking that way anyway since Hawkes made the realization that he had parked on the other corner.

"Stella," Kelly called. Mac and Stella turned towards her blushing slightly. Mac bit his bottom lip in apparent embarrassment.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Sorry, you had a criminalist on your face," Kelly told her. Hawkes was a little embarrassed.

"You had to say something. One minute. You couldn't stay quiet for one minute," Hawkes mumbled under his breath.

**After notes: I'm not telling you what happens next. I won't tell you right now. I hope you liked that one shot. Poor Hawkes, but I had to put that line in. I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, lily moonlight, Blue Shadowdancer, GregRox, CSIMiami17, and Sarryb! You guys are insanely amazingly awesome! I love all of your stories. I also am trying to not leave you all hanging. I'm going to the meetings, but you guys have rubbed off on me. Now if you please write me a review. I would really appreciate it! You guys are my heroes!**


	9. The One With The Shouting Match

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together or they would get together in the season finale.**

**Notes: Did you like that cliffie? Hawkes, Kelly, Mac, and Stella finding out about each other was fun to write. What will happen at the lab? The credit for the shouting match idea goes to CSIMiami17. Thank you so much! Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Shouting Match**

Mac, Stella, Hawkes, and Kelly sat in the break room. The air was filled with tension and an awkward silence. The four glared at the each other. Finally, Kelly couldn't take it anymore. She got up and got a cup of coffee. The others just watched her.

"Oh sorry, I was thirsty. We can go back to glaring at each other, but can you wait for me to sit down again? I don't want to miss out," Kelly said. Smiles crept onto the faces of others. As awkward as this situation was, Kelly always seemed to find a laugh somewhere. Mac's cell phone rang. He came back into the room two minutes later.

"We have a scene. Kelly and I will take it," he said.

"Does it involve dumpster diving?" she asked remembering the bet. Hawkes looked away.

"Yeah, do you want to get up anytime soon?" Mac replied. She didn't move.

"No, Hawkes is going to take it," she told Mac. Mac looked at Hawkes who rolled his eyes and got up.

"You would think that he would learn to not bet with me," Kelly said.

"Okay, you won all those bets. Mac, I have her rookie duties for a month. Happy, Kelly?" Hawkes asked. She nodded. An angry Hawkes left for the scene with Mac. Kelly was smiling as she leaned back in her chair.

"What was the bet about?" Stella asked.

"It doesn't really matter," Kelly replied.

"Come on, what was it about?" Stella was persistant.

"You and Mac," Kelly said so quietly Stella could barely hear it.

"You bet on Mac and me?" Stella asked incredulously.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Hawkes and Mac arrived at the dump site. The body was in a trash bin. Of course the first call out would be a dump, Hawkes thought. He rolled his eyes and jumped in. He had a ME help him remove the body.

"From a field observation, I would say COD was exsanguination from the stab wound. There is not enough blood around the body to be the primary crime scene. This confirms the theory of a dump site," Hawkes said. Mac started processing around the dumpster. Hawkes was back in the dumpster looking for the victim's purse. Half an hour later he found a purse. The ID matched the victim. Her name was Kelsey Bryant.

"Got an ID on our Jane Doe. Kelsey Bryant," Hawkes told Mac. He handed him the purse. Mac bagged it. Several hours later they were back at the lab processing the evidence. Hawkes was in DNA. Mac was working on collecting trace from the purse. Kelly walked in with the trace results.

"Adam paged me. That's why I have the results," Kelly answered his question when she handed him the results.

"Thanks," Mac went back to processing the purse.

"Nice color on the purse. It goes with the suit," Kelly said sarcastically. It was the last straw for Mac. He could not take the sarcasm any longer.

"That's it. I can't take it anymore, Kelly," Mac snapped.

"I bet if Stella said that you wouldn't care," Kelly mumbled under her breath.

"Excuse me," Mac said.

"You heard me," Kelly shot back. She was always good at fighting so why should she stop now. Even if she was a little frightened of the Marine, she wasn't going to back down.

"Yeah, I did," Mac raised his voice. Kelly glared at him.

"Good, for a moment I thought I would have to repeat myself," Kelly also had a raised voice. That was a terrible comeback, Kelly thought. Definitely my worst, she said to herself.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Are they fighting?" Stella asked Hawkes when she went in to the DNA lab.

"Yeah, I don't even know what it's about," he told her.

"That's because she's yelling in Italian," Stella laughed.

"We have to teach her some good comebacks," Hawkes smiled.

"No, she's got some good ones. Whoa, don't call him that," Stella said to Kelly as if she could hear her.

What did she say?" Hawkes asked.

"Some things are better in Italian," Stella replied not saying any more.

"Does Mac know what it means?" Hawkes asked. It sounded bad, and if Stella wouldn't say, then it had to be bad. The irony was he had never known Kelly to curse except she would mumble things in other languages under her breath.

"Judging by his reaction, I would say he knows," Stella said. They were both looking across the lab at the lab Kelly and Mac were fighting in.

"Is it wrong to say that I think this is very funny?" Hawkes asked.

"Depends who you say it to," Stella answered. Hawkes nodded.

"Do you think we should put a stop to this? I think she's going to punch him," Hawkes said still watching the fight.

"I suppose. How about you go and stop it?" Stella asked. Hawkes looked nervous. If he came in at the wrong time, Mac and Kelly would lash out at him. CODIS found a hit as he thought through it. Hawkes took the report. Now, at least he had an excuse to interrupt the fight.

"Good luck," Stella said. She decided to watch this. Hawkes made his way down the hall unsure of the reaction he would receive from the two CSI's. Without knocking, he came in. Mac and Kelly didn't notice him until he cleared his throat. He handed Mac the DNA results.

"Daniel Spade," Mac read. When he looked up, Kelly was still glaring at him though she had forgotten why they had even begun to fight. She knew that she had said something that had caused Mac to snap. He couldn't remember the reason exactly except that she had said something to him about Stella. Actually, she mumbled it which was probably the reason he was so mad anyway.

"I'll call Flack and get him to pick this guy up," Kelly walked out still mad. Hawkes watched her go very confused.

"What the heck?" he asked Mac who said nothing.

"Anything off of the purse?" he wondered.

"Yeah, a white powder that I'm still running it to find its chemical compound," Mac replied. Hawkes nodded. Kelly came back an hour later. She was still mad at Mac.

"Flack has him in custody. If you two want to interrogate him, he's all yours," she said.

"Hawkes, I want you to stay on this trace. Kelly and I will go interrogate this guy," Mac ordered.

"But I did practically nothing on this case," Kelly said.

"Still, we need to talk," Mac replied. The two went down to interrogation talking about why she was in trouble.

**After Notes: I hope you liked that one. I might continue with the interrogation, but I'm not sure yet. Tell me what you think. I would like to know your opinions and suggestions on how to make this story better. I would like to thank my reviewers: lily moonlight, luf100, Blue Shadowdancer, GregRox, CSIMiami17, and Sarryb! You guys are awesome. I don't know how y'all do it. Now, if y'all liked or disliked this chapter please let me know. I always enjoy reviews even constructive criticism. **


	10. The One With The Interrogation and After

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Okay, they fought. Not my best fight, I will admit that. They are never done fighting. Now it might take a little more for them to blow up, but I swear I will have a true shouting match for you. Like always, enjoy!**

**The One With The Interrogation and After**

Kelly was still furious at Mac. She wasn't even working that case, but she had to interrogate the suspect. All she had done was give Mac the trace report for Adam. Her sarcasm had finally come back and bit her in the butt. She wouldn't learn from this fight. Maybe the next one, but she would still speak her mind. Nothing would keep her from that.

"What happened?" Flack asked.

"Nothing. Where's Daniel Spade?" Kelly asked.

"Interrogation," Flack pointed. Kelly quickly yanked the case file from Mac's outstretched hand and entered the room. Don and Mac went into the room behind the glass to watch.

"Do you think it's a good thing to put her in an interrogation room while she is ticked?" Flack asked. Mac shook his head. She would get the guy to talk. That was what they needed to give them a good lead to work on.

"We found your DNA under Kelsey Bryant's fingernails. Do you want to tell me how it got there?" she asked. He said nothing.

"It says here that you served time for aggravated assault. I guess you jumped up to murder," Kelly read. Still, Daniel said nothing.

"How about we trade stories? Tell me your story, and I will tell you mine," Kelly suggested. Daniel gave a slight nod.

"We had a fight. I didn't want her to leave. I grabbed her arm. She scratched my arm. I let her go. That was the last time I saw her," he told her. She started to put the case file up. She put it on a corner on the table.

"Okay, my partner is a good CSI. Soon enough we will find out if you are telling me the truth. I guess I need to tell you my story. Okay, it involves three detectives. I was having a bad day so I was excited when I got to stick things in a pig to find out the murder weapon. Well, obviously I wasn't expecting what I saw," she told Spade.

"What? Did you see?" he asked. Kelly smiled.

"Two detectives on third base if you know what I mean. Right now one of those detectives is going to try to explain it to my supervisor. Then he will try to tell my boss about a relationship I have. What he doesn't know, is that my boss already knows," Kelly walked out with the case file. She was smiling. She had been waiting to tell about Flack and Angell. She could imagine the look on his face. Then she decided why imagine it when she could see it. She walked into the room behind the glass. Flack was enraged.

"Did I say something?" she asked. She handed Mac the case file. She was still mad at him so it wasn't exactly handing him the file. She pushed it as hard as she could into his hands. She walked out.

"Sometimes, I get this feeling that she doesn't like us," Flack stressed the sarcasm in the phrase. Mac looked at him rolling his eyes.

"Really?" Mac asked. He walked out with the case file. Flack rolled his eyes and took his cue to follow. They went back to the layout room. Kelly and Hawkes were in there. Stella joined the two of them. Mac and Flack walked in.

"I think this guy is telling the truth. There is no other evidence linking him to the stabbing," Kelly told Hawkes and Stella. She looked at her watch. It was ten o'clock. Flack yawned.

"Flack, why don't you go home and get some sleep? Don't stay here. You're not Mac. You have a life," Kelly said when she saw him yawn. Mac bit his bottom lip to keep himself from retaliating. Stella gave Mac a comforting look. Mac gripped the file so hard that his knuckles were bright white.

"Anything?" Mac asked Stella.

"I don't think that Daniel killed her. There is no other evidence connecting him to the crime," Stella said. Mac nodded.

"So we don't have a lead," Hawkes said.

"Maybe Kelly's right, Flack. Just about going home," Mac added very quickly.

"I don't know. I thought my second point was true," Kelly told Mac. He really wanted to say something.

"Need some Orbit, Mac?" Flack asked. Kelly laughed getting the reference to the gum campaign. Mac rolled his eyes.

"You keep doing that, and your eyes will get stuck there, Mac," Kelly said. Hawkes smiled. Stella gave an inaudible laugh. Flack chuckled. Mac was angry, but he didn't want another fight so he didn't say anything. Actually, he was more than angry. He was furious. He walked out of the layout room.

"That was pretty good, Kelly," Flack told her.

"Not bad yourself," she replied. They got back to the case when they realized that Mac had the file.

"I am not getting it from him," Kelly said at once. Hawkes agreed with Kelly. Flack refused so Stella had to go confront Mac and get the case file. Hawkes' and Kelly's pagers buzzed. Adam had the trace results. They walked in on him singing _I'll Be There For You_ by _The Rembrandts_.

"So no one told you life was going to be this way," Adam sang.

"Job's a joke, you're broke, love life's DOA," Kelly joined in.

"It's like you're always stuck in second gear. Well, it hasn't been your day, week, month, or even your year. But, I'll be there for you when the rain starts to pour. I'll be there for you, like I've been there before. I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too," Adam and Kelly sang together. Hawkes laughed and got the print off from the printer.

"Thanks, Adam," Hawkes said as he left with Kelly. Mac was back in the lay out room. Kelly was already thinking of something to say.

"Mac, can we go home? I mean people with social lives are normally out by now. But, I guess you don't know what that's like, do you?" Kelly asked when they walked in. Mac was still angry, but was still trying not to fight. Kelly smirked. Flack had a huge grin on his face. Stella was trying not to smile.

"What did I tell you?" Mac said to Stella as he walked out. Kelly laughed. She was getting very good at this making Mac angry thing.

"Okay, Kelly, you can stop it. You have officially made him mad," Hawkes told her. Kelly shrugged.

"Just because you won't stand up to him, doesn't mean I can't stand up to him," Kelly replied. Hawkes looked shocked. Did she just call him a coward?

"I am not a coward," Hawkes said.

"So if he walked through that door, you wouldn't say anything to him?" Kelly asked.

"Well, that's just rude to say something," Hawkes defended himself. Kelly laughed at this.

"Look, I understand. I really do," Kelly told him with a smile on her face.

"If Mac walked in here right now, I would do something," Hawkes said. Kelly was still laughing. Hawkes wouldn't do anything. She was sure of that.

"Stella, you said that we got the trace results before Kelly thought it would be funny to make fun of me," Mac said walking in.

"Hawkes, he's here. Do something," Kelly mocked. Hawkes looked at her. He stopped leaning on the table and walked over to her. He kissed her full on the mouth.

"That what you had in mind?" he asked her. She blushed a little while he walked out of the room.

"Wow," she breathed as she watched him walk away.

"Stop checking him out," Mac told her.

"Right," she mumbled. She still watched Hawkes leave.

**After Notes: How was that? Did Hawkes just kiss her in front of everyone? Talk about** **a shocker. I didn't know that Hawkes had it in him. If you liked the story or disliked it, let me know. Just press the irresistible button. I would like to thank my reviewers: lily moonlight, Sarryb, CSIMiami17, GregRox, and Blue Shadowdancer! You guys are amazing!**


	11. The One In The Lab

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Sorry for the late update. I have been busy. Every person has a breaking point. There is only so much stress and pressure someone can take. Will we find Mac's this chapter? Or will he be able to keep his cool? I hope this is funny! Like always, enjoy.**

**The One In The Lab**

Mac was finishing placing evidence back in a bag. Stella was looking at the file. Mac was trying to figure out what was missing. He had been through the clothes four times already, but he had this nagging feeling that was telling him that he missed something.

"Stell, I don't know what it is. I feel like I'm missing something," Mac told her. Kelly just happened to be walking near enough to hear this.

"It's called a life, Mac," she said walking into the room. Stella managed to pass off her sudden laughter as a fit of coughs.

"You make it too easy. Of course, I could be mean and call you Mackey or something," she told him.

"Yeah, that would be mean," Mac answered sarcastically. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Well, I happen to be in a good mood today. I made a good lunch so that has made all the difference," she told him. She went on her way.

"Well, there goes my theory that she annoys me when she is mad," Mac told Stella who gave him a warm smile.

"I think she is having some fun," Stella said as she helped Mac put up the evidence.

"Yeah, fun. I always wondered why some people respond with lashing out," Mac told her as they walked down to the evidence locker.

"I don't know. I guess if they don't, they might show how much they have been hurt," Stella replied. Mac nodded. They continued on their path.

CSI:NY

"Mackey Boi, anything on the case?" Kelly asked when she walked into the break room the next morning. Mac turned red and quietly seethed. Kelly was doing something no one else dared. She dared to say something like that to Mac. Stella walked in.

"Kelly, is this a new record? Not even ten minutes into shift, and you have managed to annoy Mac. What was it this time?" Stella asked smiling. Kelly looked at Mac who was glaring.

"Why don't you ask Mackey Boi, here?" Kelly gestured towards Mac. Stella was unable to contain her laughter.

"Look, I'm sorry, but this is hilarious," Stella said throughout her laughter. Mac was not in a good mood. Kelly walked out. Stella looked at Mac.

"I tried. I think a day is enough," Mac said angrily. Stella put her hand over his.

"Come on, Mac, it's just a bit of fun. Just try to laugh at yourself for once," Stella advised. Mac looked up at her.

"You are right, Stella, as usual," Mac took her hand. She smiled.

"So back to work, Mackey Boi," Stella joked. Mac gave her a playful glare.

"It's not going to stick," he told her. She nodded, and, together, they headed to the trace lab.

"Mac, I just got the trace results," Hawkes handed him the report.

"Who had night shift?" Stella asked.

"Adam," Hawkes answered.

"Well, he did a good job then," Stella said to the others who agreed.

"If Kelly is annoying you, Mac, fight fire with fire. Play her game," Hawkes told his boss. Mac looked at him.

"And do what?" Mac asked.

"I don't know, but just take her game and throw it back in her face. Call her Kells Bells or something. She will hate that," Hawkes advised.

"And you are okay with this?" Mac asked. Hawkes nodded.

CSI:NY

"What's up, Hawkes?" Kelly asked as she walked into the DNA lab. He looked at her.

"Results," he answered handing her a report.

"So you are coming to my place on Friday? I mean we have to watch _Gladiator_," Kelly told him. Hawkes looked over at her.

"You started laughing in _Titanic_. You will probably just laugh in _Gladiator_," Hawkes said.

"I thought it was funny," she said reading over the report. Hawkes smiled.

"They were running for their lives," he told her.

"Yeah, I just thought it was funny. So are you going to come or what?" she asked.

"Have I ever not come?" he asked. The answer was no. Stella walked in while Mac walked behind her.

"Any results?" Stella asked.

"Yeah, Mackey Boi, here, will be pleased to know that Hawkes has a match on the DNA," Kelly said. Mac rolled his eyes. He was doing that a lot lately. She handed him the report.

"Thanks, Kells Bells," Mac replied with a straight face. She looked him straight in the eyes and gave a fake laugh.

"Funny," she said.

CSI:NY

"Flack, wait up," Danny called after his friend.

"Yeah," the detective waited.

"Have you noticed how Kelly and Mac have been at each other's throats lately?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think she hates him. It explains everything," Flack said very sarcastically.

"No, I mean in the past two weeks," Danny answered.

"Yeah," Flack said.

"I think she knows something and is trying to see how far she can push this," Danny said.

"Well, why wouldn't she say something?" Flack asked as the two of them continued walking down the hall.

"Maybe, Mac knows something. I don't know. Maybe they have blackmail on each other," Danny thought out loud.

"Well, there is only one thing that I know of that she is trying to hide. Do you think Mac knows?" Flack asked.

"Knows what?" Danny didn't know about Kelly and Hawkes.

"I suppose since she told Mac something that she shouldn't, and Mac knows so I guess I could tell you. I caught Kelly and Hawkes kissing in the lab," Flack told him quietly.

"Kelly and Hawkes?" Danny said loudly.

"Do you have a death wish? Seriously, keep your voice down," Flack warned.

"That explains what Mac has on her, but what does she have on him?" Danny wondered.

"I don't know. Must be big if Mac is willing to take this much to keep it a secret. How are things with Lindsay?" Flack asked. Danny rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Well, I got her to go to dinner with me. I'm going to take her somewhere nice like that restaurant called Speck," Danny answered.

"Well, that's good. I heard Mac took Stella there. One of those friend dinners I guess," Flack told him. Danny nodded.

"I guess I should ask if it's any good. Hate to blow this," Danny said.

"Yeah, cause you didn't blow your relationship at all," Flack answered sarcastically. Danny rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I know I messed up big time, but I really want to make this up to her," Danny told his friend. Flack nodded.

"Okay, there are Mac and Stella why don't you ask now," Flack laughed knowing how awkward that situation would be.

"Stupid idea. So how are things with Angell?" Danny asked smiling. Flack quickly faced him. He didn't know that Danny knew.

**After Notes: Okay, now Danny knows about two of the three other couples. I would like to thank Sarryb for letting me use the nickname she has for me. Yes, that is where the Kells Bells comes from. I would like to thank my reviewers: GregRox, luf100 (sorry about the name check last time luffy), Blue Shadowdancer, lily moonlight, Sarryb, and CSIMiami17! You guys are the definition of awesome! Alright, now on to the part where I ask for you to review. Please, please, please review this chapter! If you liked it, loved it, or even hated it, I would love to know your opinions. Also if you have suggestions, I can see if I can write it. **


	12. The One With The Suspense

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I think a cliffhanger is in order. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Suspense**

"Mac, I got the trace results," Kelly said going up to her boss. He looked up from the case file.

"No Mackey Boi? I'm honestly surprised. Okay, what do you have?" he asked getting to the point.

"Oil, more specifically, oil pastels. Once you get it on you, it stays on forever. I had some friends in art. Well, actually I was in art in middle school. I took drama also. I liked the arts. Anyway, this stuff is high end. I am having Flack track down the owner. He will call when he has an update," Kelly told him. Mac nodded.

CSI:NY

"Thanks for the dinner last night, Danny," Lindsay said as the two of them worked on some evidence.

"Anything for my Montana," Danny joked. Lindsay frowned. She didn't like him calling her that after what he did. He was really trying to make it up to her.

"I'm going to give this trace to Adam to process," Lindsay told him as she walked out of the room.

CSI:NY

"Mac, I absolutely hate going up to autopsy. I swear if Sid tries to tell me another story, I might just kill him," Kelly told the other detective.

"At least, I'm going with you this time," Mac said. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Yeah because on my first day no one warned me so I had to listen to one of his stories. That was cruel, Mac. I could understand Flack doing that, but not you," Kelly replied. Mac laughed. The two got off the elevator.

"Morning," Sid rang out to them.

"COD?" Kelly asked right away. The soon she could get out the better. Sid handed her the report.

"Exsanguination. Did you know that exsanguination literally means out of blood?" he asked.

"Yes, it comes from two Latin words. Ex which means out of and sanguis which means blood. It actually means out of blood," Kelly said. Four years of Latin had finally paid off

"I'm guessing that it was a pocket knife blade. I found some strange trace in the wound. It came back as oil pastels," Sid told them.

"Good to know. Anything else?" Mac asked.

"No, that's it," Sid returned to finishing stitching up the body. The two CSI's left.

"Rude much?" Mac asked.

"No, just impatient," Kelly answered. Mac nodded in a sarcastic way.

"So I'm going to take a stab at this and say that our murderer is an artist," Mac said.

"6.5 on the pun scale, Mac. Still better than Flack," she told him.

"Thanks Kelly," Flack said from behind her. She turned around. Flack gave her a hurt look. She knew he didn't care.

"Did you get an address on our suspect?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, 327 5th Ave," Flack answered.

"We need a warrant," Kelly said.

"Got one," Flack waved a piece of paper.

CSI:NY

"Stell, I got the trace off of the murder weapon. Same as the trace on our suspect's hands," Hawkes told her.

"Okay, so this guy murdered Carl Brent," Stella said.

"Not exactly. The trace on the murder weapon was in a place that doesn't mean that he wielded the knife as a weapon," Hawkes replied. Stella sighed.

CSI:NY

"Lindsay, the trace you got off the clothes is vegetable oil. Sorry that this didn't help more," Adam said.

"Actually it does," she smiled. She walked off leaving Adam confused.

"Lindsay, what's the trace?" Danny asked her.

"Vegetable oil," she answered. They called Angell to tell their suspect that they just proved him guilty.

CSI:NY

"NYPD!" Flack yelled. Kelly and Mac drew their guns. They heard someone knocking something over in the apartment. Flack kicked the door in.

"Gary Thomas, come out with your hands on your head," Mac said. Kelly moved into the kitchen. Someone grabbed her from behind. She elbowed the guy in the gut. Then a battle for her gun began. She punched Gary in the face. He still held on slamming her up against the wall. She saw colors but didn't let go of her weapon. She started to point it towards him.

"Mac!" she yelled. Mac and Flack hurried into the kitchen. Before they entered, a shot rang out as two bodies were flung to the floor.

**After Notes: Short, I know. Suspenseful was what I was going for. I hope I achieved that. Please tell me what you thought! I would like to thank my reviewers: Blue Shadowdancer, lily moonlight, CountryGirl8, iluvthejoebros, Sarryb, GregRox, CSIMiami17, luf100! You guys rock my world! They are amazing. They are also the reason for the cliffhanger. Okay, maybe like two of them. Expect the second part soon!**


	13. The One With The Suspense's Ending

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Hope you all liked that cliffhanger. I would like to say that I had and still have no intention of hurting Flack. The poem below is by Robert Frost. I really like the poem. It's called Fire and Ice. I'm doing a poetry unit in English so that's why I have a poem. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Suspense's Ending**

…………………………………………………………_._

_Some say the world will end in fire,  
__Some say in ice.  
__From what I've tasted of desire  
__I hold with those who favor fire.  
__But if I had to perish twice,  
__I think I know enough of hate  
__To say that for destruction ice  
__Is also great  
__And would suffice. _

……………………………………………………_.._

"_Gary Thomas, come out with your hands on your head," Mac said. Kelly moved into the kitchen. Someone grabbed her from behind. She elbowed him in the gut. Then a battle for her gun began. She punched Gary in the face. He still held on slamming her up against the wall. She saw colors but didn't let go of her weapon. She started to point it towards him._

"_Mac!" she yelled. Mac and Flack hurried into the kitchen. Before they entered, a shot rang out as two bodies were flung to the floor. _

"Mac, very faint pulse," Flack said feeling the neck for a sign of life. Blood was coming out of a bullet wound in the chest. Flack put pressure on the wound. He radioed in for an ambulance.

"Still searching for a pulse. No, I have one. Out cold," Mac told the other.

"That's a nasty bruise up on her forehead," Flack told Mac when he looked over at Kelly.

CSI:NY

"Alright, Mac," Stella said as she hung up. Hawkes walked over to her with the case file.

"What's up?" Hawkes asked. Stella bit her lip. Mac didn't want Hawkes to find out about Kelly at the moment. Stella and Hawkes needed to close that case.

"Kelly shot the suspect," she replied.

"What?" Hawkes asked not believing her.

"I don't know the details. We need to get back to the case. Anything new?" she asked. She was lying. She had been on the phone with Mac for ten minutes. She didn't know that Kelly was regaining consciousness toward the very end of the conversation.

CSI:NY

"Tis but a scratch," Kelly whispered in a British accent as she opened her eyes. Everything was out of focus. Slowly, the scene before her was clearing. She couldn't make out anything definitively. Higgins could tell that Mac and Flack were next to her. Mac was on her right, Flack on her left. Mac looked over at Flack confused.

"A scratch? Your arm's off!" Flack replied whispering in an accent. Kelly smiled.

"No it isn't!" she whispered still in a British accent. Flack gave a quiet laugh.

"Well, what's that then?" he asked still in character.

"I've had worse," she replied finishing the skit. The room was finally in focus. Mac was still confused.

"_Monty Python and the Holy Grail_," Flack whispered. Mac nodded. He had never seen it.

"Where am I?" she asked. She didn't recognize her surroundings. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't remember anything but names. She saw no faces with the names.

"The lab's garage. I know how much you hate hospitals, and you were regaining consciousness so we took you here," Mac told her. He was lying. She had been in and out of consciousness. She wasn't awake long enough to remember her going to the hospital.

"I'm drawing a blank," Kelly told them.

"Okay, I thought we might have to do this. Flack, you should ask her," Mac whispered. They were still talking quietly.

"Okay, Kelly, what year is it?" Flack started with standard questions.

"1942," she said sarcastically. She then proceeded with the truth, "2008, Flack. I can tell you what happened yesterday or the day before. I can tell you that it's April 30th."

"Yeah. Kelly, we have to ask these questions. Please give us a straight answer," Mac told her. Kelly nodded.

"What's 7 times 12?" Flack asked.

"84," Kelly repeated rapid fire. She could remember math and dates. It was a good sign.

"Could you tell me what you are blackmailing Mac with?" Flack asked determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

"Figure it out yourself," she answered much to Mac's relief.

"Okay, we are going to get you up to the lab," Mac said. Kelly moved out of the car.

"I think I can walk myself," she told them when they tried to help her. Kelly tried to take one step and started to collapse. Her headache she woke up with was at least ten times worse. She was caught by Mac and Flack.

"We thought that might happen," they supported her.

"Well, this could be worse," she said.

"Do you remember anything about what happened?" Mac asked.

"I vividly remember getting slammed into a wall and seeing colors. Then it goes blank. Except for a noise. Did I shoot him?" she asked. Mac sighed. It wasn't the best time to tell her that she shot someone.

"Yeah," he answered. She dropped her head. She never wanted to shoot him. She was getting flashbacks.

_After she yelled Mac's name, Gary punched her so hard her head hit the wall. It must have been a reflex when she pulled the trigger. She was knocked out. Several images of doctors scanning her came into her head. Then there was nothing._

The elevator door opened to the lab. Kelly had her hands gripping Mac and Flack's shoulders. They helped her through the hallway. Stella was in the hallway. Hawkes was in trace. As soon as he saw Flack and Mac helping her walk, he practically sprinted to her.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"There was an accident," Mac replied.

"I got hit in the head," Kelly told him.

"Kind of hard too," Flack added.

"The suspect… um… do you want me to go to autopsy?" Hawkes asked. Kelly looked up. She didn't know that the guy died.

"I will go. Can you watch Kelly? She got a pretty bad concussion, and the hospital wants to make sure something bad won't happen," Mac told him. Hawkes nodded. They exchanged Kelly. Hawkes struggled a little under her dead weight.

"How do you think she is going to deal?" Flack asked.

"I don't know," Mac replied.

CSI:NY

"Mac, go home and get some sleep. I know that we have to investigate. I'm pretty sure reconstruction can wait," Stella came into reconstruction. Mac looked up.

"How about you help me? It would make this go faster," Mac asked.

"Okay, what do you want me to do?" she asked. Mac put a prop gun like the department issue in her hand.

"She entered from there. I'm thinking that Gary grabbed her from behind," Mac acted this out.

"He had a nasty bruise on his abdomen. I bet she elbowed him in the stomach," Stella showed him what that would be like except she didn't use as much force.

"Okay, he must have either turned her or grabbed her gun in a way that allowed her to turn. I think she punched him. She broke his jaw bone or fractured it at least," Mac said.

"Then he slammed her against the wall. She said she saw colors. Mac, how did she get out of this with just a bad concussion?" Stella wondered. He shrugged.

"Kelly then yelled my name. Before Flack and I got into the kitchen, we heard a shot. We found Gary on the ground with a faint pulse. He had been shot in the chest. Kelly was unconscious," Mac sighed. As much as Kelly annoyed him, she was a part of the team and therefore a part of the family. Stella took his hand.

"There are no what ifs. What happened happened. You can't change it no matter how much you want to," Stella squeezed his hand. He squeezed hers back. They stood in silence for several minutes. They didn't need to say anything because being around each other was enough.

"It's been three days. We just proved that it was self-defense. Case closed. Let me sign these papers, and, tomorrow, I can give these to the DA. I can stop this bogus suit from Thomas' attorney," Mac gathered the papers. Ten minutes later, he walked out with Stella. He dropped her off.

"Mac, just stay. You are going to fall asleep at the wheel if you go back to your place. You haven't slept since you started the investigation, and now you are asleep," Stella finished in a whisper. Mac had crashed on her couch.

"Night, Mac"

 CSI:NY

"Thanks for taking me to work," Kelly kissed Hawkes' cheek as she got out of the car. She had regained anything she was missing from her memory. Her head still hurt if you touched it hard enough.

"I'm just glad you can walk," Hawkes joked. He added on a more serious note, "Are you going to be okay after what happened?"

"I guess we will have to see," she answered. They entered the lab together.

"Hey, welcome back! Are you okay?" Lindsay asked.

"I got a concussion. I wasn't shot," she answered.

"Kelly, we have a scene. I will meet you down in the garage in ten minutes," Stella said. Kelly nodded.

"No rest for the weary, eh?" Kelly joked. She got her kit from her locker and met Stella down at the garage.

CSI:NY

"Taylor," Inspector Gerard said from the hallway. Mac rolled his eyes and turned around.

"Yes?" he asked rudely. When it came down to Gerard, Mac wouldn't have cared if he was the President of the United States. He could not stand the man.

"How come you didn't let Internal Affairs run that investigation?" Gerard asked.

"There wasn't much of an investigation to run," Mac replied.

"It took you long enough," he rebutted.

"I wanted to make sure it was right," Mac said. The two continued arguing over such a little thing.

CSI:NY

"Kelly, you're back. How are you doing?" Angell asked.

"Again, I wasn't shot. That's not what you're asking though. I don't know how to react yet. I'm kind of in shock. Kind of like how you were when I caught you and Flack," Kelly added under her breath. Angell didn't hear.

"What do we have?" Stella asked.

"Robbery turned shooting," Angell told them as they walked toward the bodega.

CSI:NY

"So Kelly is alright?" Danny asked Hawkes.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Hawkes wondered hoping that Danny didn't know.

"I know about you and Kelly," he came straight out with it.

"Who told you?" Hawkes asked.

"Flack. What is Kelly blackmailing Mac with?" Danny inquired.

"Figure it out yourself," and that was all Hawkes would say on that matter.

**After Notes: I think I made up length wise for last chapter. I hope you liked that chapter. Please review. You know you want to click the irresistible button. I would like to thank my reviewers: Blue Shadowdancer, Sarryb, lily moonlight, luf100, GregRox, and CSIMiami17! You guys are the definition of amazing. I know I have already said that, but it's one hundred percent true. You guys are the best!**


	14. The One With The Breaking Point

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. I do own my OC, Kelly Higgins. **

**Notes: I believe that you all are wondering how long Kelly can keep this up. Let's find out. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Breaking Point**

……………………………………………………………..

"_I can't take it anymore. I'm at my breaking point. No, I'm past my breaking point."_

……………………………………………………………..

Kelly was in the lab processing clothes from the scene. Danny walked in presumably wanting to talk about the case. She knew better though. She had been bombarded by Flack and him for the past week. Every single time they asked what she was blackmailing Mac with. She was so angry at them that she took it out on Mac. Her sarcastic comments had gotten downright mean. She dug at him. From her point of view, it was his fault anyway.

"Anything?" Danny asked.

"No. Why don't you just stop asking? I'm not going to tell you anything!" she snapped. Danny was shocked at her reply. Sure, he was going to ask her what she had on Mac, but he was going to strike up a conversation first. She had a malicious glint in her eyes.

………………………………………………………………..

"_Just hold on a minute. You are over reacting."_

…………………………………………………………………

He sat in his office contemplating his options. All Kelly knew was that Stella and he were together. He just didn't want everyone knowing at the present time. He couldn't take her comments any more. It had given her too much power which she was abusing. She was being nasty lately. He knew that she blamed him for being bombarded with questions.

"Mac, we have a scene," Stella entered. He looked up. He got up and followed her to the elevator. He looked over to see Kelly snap at Danny. Danny looked shock while Kelly looked like she was going to kill.

………………………………………………………………..

"_Over reacting? This is not over reacting. I cannot believe this."_

…………………………………………………………………

Hawkes was working in DNA. Flack walked in wanting a lead.

"Get out of my lab, Flack. You are going to compromise evidence," Hawkes ordered not looking up. Flack turned around and walked out. Hawkes breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that the conversation would soon turn to what Kelly had on Mac. An hour later, a sheet printed out. Hawkes grabbed it and went up to Flack.

"Here's your lead," Hawkes showed him the results.

"Steve Bathe," Flack said. He walked off going to find this guy. He saw Kelly lash out at Danny. He knew why. Danny and he decided to annoy her into telling. Little did he know that she had no intention of telling or of telling the truth. She had promised she wouldn't. She liked to keep promises.

……………………………………………………………….

"_You are blowing this way out of proportion. If you are so annoyed, why don't you tell?"_

……………………………………………………………….

Lindsay didn't want to involve herself in this. She already had enough things going on in her own personal life. Danny and Flack were trying to get her to ask Kelly what she had on Mac. Lindsay refused. The two guys were harassing Kelly. She was finally lashing out. Lindsay had a feeling of what Kelly knew. She thought that it had something to do with Mac and Stella.

"Lindsay, I got your trace results," Adam came in.

"Thanks. How are you?" Lindsay asked wanting to talk to someone. Adam was a little taken off guard. No one ever asked how he was.

"I'm good. You've been acting strange lately, Linds. What's going on with you?" Adam asked. Lindsay didn't know why she did, but an impulse made her spill it all out. She talked to Adam about Danny. It was good to talk about it. Adam was listening to her.

………………………………………………………………….

"_We made a deal. I like to keep my word."_

………………………………………………………………….

Danny was shocked. Kelly normally could keep her cool. The look in her eye scared him. It was fierce.

"Sorry," he said sarcastically. He didn't know how mad she was.

"Look, just stay out of my face," Kelly started putting the evidence up. She had finished processing.

"What's up with you?" Danny asked.

"I think I know why Lindsay can't stand you," she threw away her Latex gloves.

"That's low," Danny told her.

"Yeah, well guess what. I don't care," she walked out of the lab. She took her trace samples with her. She walked into the lab where Adam was.

"Sorry to interrupt Lindsay, but can you run these, Adam?" she asked.

"Yeah," he left.

…………………………………………………………….

"_Look, I don't want to tell the lab."_

……………………………………………………………

Adam was relieved to get out of there. It's not that he didn't mind listening to Lindsay. It's just that he didn't know what to say. Now, he could work. Putting in his iPod speakers, Adam started to run the trace.

…………………………………………………………….

"_I will give you forty-eight hours. Either you tell them or I will."_

……………………………………………………………..

Stella hadn't seen Mac this angry since the Dobson case. The sarcasm had been funny. This wasn't. She could tell that the breaking point was coming near.

"Mac, you have to stop this," she said.

"Yeah, I'm going to confront her today," he replied.

………………………………………………………………

"_Is this an ultimatum?"_

………………………………………………………………

Kelly sat in the break room sipping a Sprite. Hawkes came in.

"Hey," he said.

"How's your case?" she asked.

"It's good. How are you doing?" he replied.

"Good," she told him.

"Just apologize," he left her to her thoughts. She knew he wanted her to stop lashing out at Mac. She would apologize later.

……………………………………………………………

"_Yeah, I guess it is."_

…………………………………………………………..

Kelly walked into Mac's office where he was sitting.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out at you," she said as quietly as she could. The room was quiet. They locked eyes. Whoever broke eye contact first was giving in. It was a power struggle.

"I can't take it anymore. I'm at my breaking point. No, I'm past my breaking point."

It was out. An argument soon took place. Both knew it was coming.

**After Notes: Did you notice what I did? That wasn't as funny. I know. Actually, it's not funny at all. Please review. You know you want to. I would like to thank my reviewers: GregRox, lily moonlight, Blue Shadowdancer, CSIMiami17, Sarryb, and luf100! You guys are my heroes! Also on a side note, FanFiction Awards are here. Vote your favorite author, story, etc. Exercise your right to vote. (No need to vote for me.) Have a good day! :D**


	15. The One With The 48 Hours

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Okay, the italics were what the future argument would be. I should have just told you. I will give up on having you guess. Maybe not. Let's see what happens now! Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The 48 Hours**

"_I can't take it anymore. I'm at my breaking point. No, I'm past my breaking point."_

"_Just hold on a minute. You are over reacting."_

"_Over reacting? This is not over reacting. I cannot believe this."_

"_You are blowing this way out of proportion. If you are so annoyed, why don't you tell?"_

"_We made a deal. I like to keep my word."_

"_Look, I don't want to tell the lab."_

"_I will give you forty-eight hours. Either you tell them or I will."_

"_Is this an ultimatum?"_

"_Yeah, I guess it is."_

"Kelly, you just can't do that," Mac told her.

"I just did," she replied. Mac stood up.

"We aren't done talking," he told her.

"Funny, because I'm done listening," she responded. Mac finally had all he could take.

"I don't know why I have let you get away with this before, but it's time we talked," Mac said fiercely. Kelly stayed seated but had an evil look forming in her eyes.

"Okay, if you want to know why I lash out at you, I'm not going to tell you my life story. I apologized. I'm out of here," she walked out. Mac was stunned at the blatant disrespect. In a way, they had gotten somewhere. She had something in her past that made her this way. He got up and followed. He still needed to talk to her.

"I'm serious. We need to talk, Kelly," he said more than loud enough for her to hear.

"What, Mac?" she raised her voice.

"Stop lashing out at everyone! It's rude, and it can cut deep," Mac admitted yelling. They were close enough to talk, but the two CSI's were so angry they were sure their temperatures were rising.

"You want me to stop? Why should I when no one stopped hurting me? Why should I when it only got worse?" she bellowed. The lab had totally stopped what they were doing to watch this.

……………………………………………………………….

"It's almost relaxing," Flack said before Mac and Kelly started yelling. Lindsay, Hawkes, Danny, and Stella were in the break room with him. Danny was starting to pop some popcorn. Suddenly, they heard Mac slam the door to his office. They saw Kelly turn around to face him. Mac and Kelly were in the hallway in front of them. The microwave beeped, and Danny got his popcorn out. They all turned to watch the fight. Flack took the popcorn bag from Danny.

"Community popcorn, Danny," he said taking some and passing the bag around. Lindsay laughed grabbing a handful of popcorn. When the bag came back to Danny, it was almost empty.

"Thanks, guys," Danny said getting up to pop more. They didn't hear him. They were watching and listening to the fight.

………………………………………………………………

"Why don't you just talk to someone?" Mac asked voice still raised.

"I don't need to. I will 'try' to be less sarcastic. You have forty-eight hours, Mac," she said lowering her voice.

"Just tell them. You know I won't. You have forty-eight hours to tell. Why don't you use your head and think outside the box? You seem to do that when you make jokes. If you don't tell in forty-eight hours, then you can't complain about it anymore," Mac replied walking away. Mac smiled. It was always his plan to not tell. She would do the dirty work for him.

"Fine," she said turning to go to the AV lab.

…………………………………………………………………

"It's quiet. Do you think she killed him?" Danny returned with more popcorn.

"No, fight's over. Maybe the two of them should go to counseling," Flack suggested joking.

"That's actually a good idea," Stella said.

"I was joking, but it could work," Flack replied.

"Anything to get them to stop fighting," Lindsay entered the talk.

………………………………………………………………….

Kelly came to the scene to find Hawkes and Danny gawking at the female witness. It was a runway murder. She put her case down and walked up to the two of them. She slapped the back of their heads like in _NCIS_. They turned toward her.

"She is not that pretty," Kelly said. The guys scoffed at that remark.

"Not that pretty? Cynthia Daniels is on every magazine cover. She is on like three billboards in this city, and I'm going to stop talking now," Hawkes covered his mistake.

"Good idea. Hawkes, get the perimeter. I will take the body. Danny, take the runway," Kelly ordered.

"Who died and made you Mac?" Danny asked. Hawkes laughed.

"I just thought we should get started. Stop staring at her," Kelly slapped the back of their heads again for good measure. Both of them walked away rubbing the back of their heads. She smiled.

…………………………………………………………………..

"I guess we have to interview that Cynthia," Danny said unable to contain his excitement.

"Eager?" Kelly asked sarcastically.

"Well, now I'm not dating anyone," Danny replied.

"Never stopped you before," Kelly answered.

"That was low," Danny told her. He had already told her that earlier that day.

"That was a hard hit below the belt," Kelly answered. Danny scowled.

…………………………………………………………………

The next day came quickly. Kelly was going to put her plan into action. That night Mac and Stella's 'secret' relationship would be exposed. She decided not to embarrass them. She was a little tired of that at the moment.

"I'm a little worried. Kelly was pretty mad yesterday. Did I dig my own grave?" Mac asked.

"I don't know. I do know that as soon as this is over you two need to sort this out," she replied. Mac sighed heavily not wanting to.

"I know that she will tell them today. It was nice not having anyone knowing," Mac took her hand.

"You knew it wouldn't last that way. We both did. It won't change things. Okay, I may speak to soon on that. I have no idea what Danny will put us through," Stella laughed. Mac smiled.

"I guess we should go inside. We don't want to ruin Kelly's plan by coming in late together," Mac chuckled.

"Alright," Stella got out of the car. They walked up to the lab for the last time being 'just friends.'

…………………………………………………………

"You guys ready to let the world know your secret?" Kelly asked.

"You would let everyone know even if we said no," Mac told her.

"True," Kelly nodded.

………………………………………………………

"You have got to be kidding me," Mac said when he and Stella walked into the AV lab. _With or Without You_ by _U2_ was playing.

"She knows our song," Stella shook her head in disbelief. They were smiling.

"I guess we ought to give them a show. May I have this dance?" Mac asked extending his hand. Stella took it.

"Of course," she replied. They danced closer than a just friends circumstance would permit. That was how the ones who did not know figured it out. When the song ended, they separated.

"I would kiss you, but we are in the lab, and everyone is watching," Mac said taking her hand and leading her out. Money was being exchanged outside between the CSI's and Flack. Apparently, there was a bet on when they would get together.

"So now you know what the blackmail was," Kelly told Flack and Danny.

"I'm surprised that you didn't try to embarrass us, Kelly," Mac told her.

"I could take that as an insult, Mackey Boi," Kelly said to get under his skin.

"Okay, that's it. Before you two start fighting, I will tell you. You two are going to counseling," Stella told them.

"What?!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

**After Notes: Now the team knows about Mac and Stella. I think that they (Mac and Kelly) do need to go to counseling. I hope that was funny. Please review! You know you want to press the button. It leads to a magical world where suggestions are made. This world is a happy place. Now, I'm babbling. I would like to thank my reviewers: CSIMiami17, lily moonlight, Sarryb, luf100, Blue Shadowdancer, and au004! You guys rock my magical world! See I made a joke. Aren't I funny? I wasn't making a joke so I hope that wasn't funny. If it was, then cool. I will say again that the FanFiction Awards are here. Exercise your voting rights! Vote your favorites! The results come with the season finale. Hope you have a good day! :D**


	16. The One With The Counseling

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: By popular demand, we will find out what happens at the counseling session. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Counseling**

"No," Kelly said at once.

"Too bad. We voted. It was unanimous. You two are going," Stella told them.

"I will give you a cookie," Hawkes offered.

"It better be a big one," she answered angrily.

……………………………………………………

"Okay, I'm Dr. Phillips," the counselor told Mac and Kelly who were glaring at each other.

"Kelly Higgins, and this is Mac Taylor," Kelly introduced herself and Mac to him. The counseling session started after that.

"So how often do you have these fights?" Dr. Phillips asked. Mac and Kelly glanced at each other then looked back at the doctor.

"Recently, three to four times a week," Mac answered. Kelly nodded. That was about right.

"How has this affected intimacy?" he asked. Mac and Kelly looked at each other in shock. Mac's eyes were wide. Kelly was trying not to laugh. Her and Mac? The thought made her want to roll on the floor laughing.

"No, no we aren't together," Mac said quickly. Kelly decided to have some fun.

"He's in denial," she put her hand on Mac's arm.

"Don't touch me," Mac told her. She pulled her hand back.

"So you two aren't a couple?" the counselor asked.

"No!" they yelled at the same time.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know. When your form came in, it sounded like you were a couple," the doc told them.

"I don't think I will ever be able to look at you the same way," Kelly said to Mac.

"I think I threw up a little in my mouth," Mac had to turn away. Kelly slapped his arm.

"That's my line," she told him. From then on, they talked about the fights.

………………………………………………

"Hey, you two are back," Stella greeted them as they entered the lab. They were standing as far apart from each other as they could. They were turned away from each other. Hawkes and Stella were processing evidence.

"What happened?" Hawkes asked.

"Nothing," they said at the same time. Stella and the doc looked at them suspiciously.

"Honestly, what happened?" Hawkes asked again.

"I better get a huge cookie after what you put me through," Kelly said shaking with anger.

"Mac, what happened?" Stella asked.

"That Dr. Phillips thought we were a couple. Imagine what happened," Mac replied.

"I will never be able to look at Mac the same way again," Kelly shuddered. She walked out.

"He asked us how the fights affected intimacy," Mac said. Stella and Hawkes started laughing.

………………………………………………………………….

Anytime Kelly walked into a room with Mac in it or vice versa, one of them had to walk out. It did not go unnoticed by the CSI's.

"What's up with them?" Lindsay asked Hawkes.

"They went to counseling. The doc thought they were a couple," Hawkes replied trying to stop laughing.

"Oh gosh, I wish I was there to see that," she answered. She started laughing.

"Don't we all? At least, they aren't fighting. They just can't be in the same room," Hawkes said. Lindsay shrugged. It was an improvement.

…………………………………………………………………

"Stella, do you know what's up between Mac and Kelly?" Flack asked as he and Danny walked into her office.

"Yeah," she answered.

"What?" Danny demanded.

"The counselor thought they were a couple," Stella said. Danny and Flack burst out laughing.

"Are you serious?" Danny asked.

"As serious as a heart attack," she answered.

"We had to say no to a group session," Flack said wishing he was there to see that.

"At least, they aren't fighting. Ignoring each other is better than constant fighting," Stella told the guys.

"That's true, but the fights are funny," Danny said.

"For us, yeah," Flack replied.

"As long as they aren't fighting," Stella said.

……………………………………………………

"Hawkes, I believe you owe me a very large cookie," she told her boyfriend.

"I thought you were joking," Hawkes replied.

"About a cookie? Never joke about that," she laughed. They were driving from the lab. Hawkes smiled.

"I have been wondering for a while now if I should ask you this," Hawkes said.

"Ask away," she replied.

"Well, I was thinking that you should move in with me," Hawkes told her.

"I… uh… don't know what to say," she said.

"Say yes, and I will call it even for the cookie," Hawkes joked.

"I don't know how that would be even for a cookie. I mean we are talking about a big cookie," Kelly laughed.

"I mean the lab is ten minutes closer from my place," Hawkes told her.

"I was wondering if you would ask something like that," she said. They drove the rest of the way in silence.

"What do you say?" Hawkes asked when they stopped.

"I say yes," she replied.

"Are you being serious?" Hawkes wondered.

"Even by my standards, that would be cruel," she kissed him.

…………………………………………………

"Mac, any cases?" Hawkes asked. Kelly still wouldn't be in the same room as Mac. It was just too awkward.

"Yes, and tell Kelly that we have to go to another counseling thing. I hate you all for doing this," Mac said.

………………………………………………..

"Dr. Phillips is sick. I'm Dr. Brookes," The woman introduced herself.

"I'm Kelly Higgins," Kelly introduced herself.

"Mac Taylor," he said.

"Okay, so you two have been having a lot of fights recently," the doc read some of Dr. Phillips' notes.

"No duh," Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Except for the last couple of days," Mac said. They couldn't be near each other at all, thanks to Dr. Phillips.

"So how long have you been together," Brookes asked.

"Oh my gosh, is it so hard to believe that we aren't a couple?!" Kelly exclaimed.

"Sorry, I didn't know," she explained at once.

"Yeah, that's what Dr. Phillips said. Now, Mac and I can't be in the same room which isn't good because he is my boss, and we work a lot of cases together," Kelly said.

"I just assumed that you were a couple," the doctor replied.

…………………………………………………

"Hawkes, you could give me all the cookies in the world. I am never going back to counseling," Kelly said.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Is it so hard to believe that Mac and I are not a couple?" she questioned angrily.

"No," he replied. She walked off to reconstruction to find a murder weapon. That was her reason. She was happy because she got to stick things in a pig.

**After Notes: I hope you liked that. I hope it was funny. I would like to thank Sarryb for the idea of having the counselor asking how it affected intimacy. Please review! You know you want to! Push the, dare I say sexy, button. I would like to thank my reviewers: EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Blue Shadowdancer, and CSIMiami17! You guys are amazingly awesome. Don't forget that the FFN awards are going on. Exercise your right to vote. Nominate your favorite story, author, OC etc. Thank ****you, lily moonlight and Blue Shadowdancer for nominating me! You guys are so awesome! You are the definition of awesome! Yeah, you guys are that awesome. Hope you all have a great day! :D**


	17. The One About Nothing Really

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. I do own my OC, Kelly Higgins. She can be borrowed if asked. I do not own Juno or the Ocean's series. I do not own Gladiator or the Bourne series. **

**Notes: That was one awkward chapter. Poor Mac and Kelly after what I put them through. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One About Nothing Really**

Kelly was sitting in a chair in Hawkes' kitchen. For three in the morning, she was wide awake. A dog had kept her up all night. She had finally decided just to get ready because there was no way she would get to sleep. Her phone rang.

"Higgins," she answered sipping the last of her coffee.

"Kelly, we have a scene," Mac told her.

"Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes," she said. She hung up. After leaving a note explaining that she had a call out, Kelly went to the scene. Mac and Stella were already there.

"Morning," she chimed. Mac and Stella looked at her funny.

"Someone got lucky last night," Mac joked. Stella laughed.

"Ha ha. No, I'm just happy," Kelly said.

"It's three thirty in the morning. How are you happy? I'm surprised that you aren't mumbling things under your breath in Italian," Stella told her.

"I haven't slept all night. This dog barked nonstop. No, I'm not happy, but yes, I am awake. Mac joking? I guess he's the one who got lucky," Kelly replied. Mac blushed a little.

"Well, this isn't going to make you any happier. Double homicide. Mac made a joke?" Angell walked up to them.

"Yeah, surprising isn't it," Kelly told her.

"Aren't we funny?" Mac said rolling his eyes.

"I think I'm funny," Kelly shrugged.

"Who found the body?" Stella asked.

"Two kids making out. Who walks while they make out?" Angell asked.

"I don't know. Maybe it was their first time," Kelly suggested laughing.

"Yeah, but still that's just weird. I mean that's sort of stupid to do," Angell replied.

"Are we actually having this conversation?" Mac asked.

"Stella, I'm guessing he isn't a huge fan of chick flicks," Kelly said.

"No, not at all," Mac answered for her.

"Angell, I forgot to tell you. I watched _Juno_ yesterday. It was so good," Kelly said getting her tweezers out of her kit.

"I never saw that movie," Stella said printing a window.

"It was amazing," Angell told her.

"I liked the Tic Tac thing with the mailbox. It was very sweet. That was my favorite part," Kelly continued processing around the body.

"Very cute for two teenagers," Angell replied. Mac's phone rang.

"Please be another body," Mac said before he answered. Five minutes later he hung up.

"No other body?" Kelly asked. Mac shook his head.

"Can we please not talk about chick flicks?" Mac asked desperately.

"No. Stella you have to watch it," Kelly said.

"Yeah, but Taylor here will not watch them," Stella told her.

"I'm sorry that I don't like chick movies," Mac answered.

"I think you would like _Juno_," Kelly told him.

"Nah, he seems like a more _Gladiator_ and the _Ocean's _series kind of guy," Angell said.

"Matt Damon is so sexy in the _Ocean's _series," Kelly sighed thinking about the actor. Stella and Angell nodded in agreement. Mac looked very annoyed.

"I think that George Clooney is sexier though," Stella said.

"I guess. I know what Matt Damon looks better in. The _Bourne_ series," Kelly told them.

"Definitely," Angell replied. Mac looked like he wanted to pull his hair out.

"I'm going back to the lab. I trust that you two can finish processing," Mac said giving up on a conversation change.

……………………………………………………….

"Mac, you okay?" Hawkes asked when his boss came into the break room.

"I just got a sexiness rating of like every actor known to man," Mac said rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"That bad?" Hawkes laughed.

"It was not that bad," Kelly told Hawkes when she came in.

"Well, I don't care about the movie, _Juno_," Mac argued.

"I actually liked that move," Hawkes replied.

"You did not just say that," Mac said laughing.

"It was good. Ask Flack," Hawkes answered.

"Hey, you weren't supposed to tell anyone," Flack came in.

"Oh gosh, this is the weirdest day," Mac sighed.

"I'm going to look at the fibers I found on the body," Kelly said walking out.

…………………………………………..

"I think she's asleep," Mac whispered to Stella. Kelly had been looking in the microscope for ten minutes.

"Mac, you wouldn't. What has gotten into you?" Stella asked as he walked over to Kelly.

"I'm tired of being joked about," he replied simply. Stella rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Do your worst," she said.

"Let me guess. The fibers are wool," Mac said loudly. Kelly woke up quickly.

"Having fun, Mac? You could at least let me walk out. I want to give you two your privacy," Kelly told him. She left the room. Mac scowled.

"I swear I'm going to kill her," Mac said getting worked up. Stella put her hands on his chest to keep him from moving.

"Mac, chill," she told him.

"I can't take it anymore," he said.

"You are getting worked up again," she warned.

"Stella, how can she not bug you?" he asked.

"She is just having fun. It's like you're her older brother," Stella told him.

…………………………………………….

Shift was long over, but still everyone was still there. The Dallas Stars were playing. It was 'Handshake Night' as Kelly called it. It was two in the morning. It was the end of the third overtime.

"Oh come on," Kelly yelled at the screen when the overtime ended. The score was tied one to one.

"It's just a game," someone said from behind her. It was either Stella or Lindsay.

"Just a game. Obviously, you don't know any of us very well," Flack answered.

………………………………………….

"Well, the Stars won," Lindsay said when she got to work the next day.

"You didn't stay up to watch?" Danny asked.

"No, I have better things to do. If it was football, I would have watched. I'm just not a hockey fan," she said.

"Four overtimes, Montana," Danny told her.

"Yeah, big whoop," she replied.

**After Notes: That was literally a chapter about nothing except the workings of the lab. I have to say it was fun torturing Mac with the chick flicks. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: CSIMiami17, Blue Shadowdancer, luf100, EverythingIsConnected, au004, and lily moonlight!! You guys rock and made me feel happy. FFN Awards are here. Exercise your voting rights. Aren't the amazing?! I would like to again thank lily moonlight and Blue Shadowdancer for nominating me. They are amazing. The greatest people ever on top of being amazing! Hope you all have a good day! :D**


	18. The One In The Elevator

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: What would happen if Mac, Kelly, Stella, and Hawkes got stuck in an elevator? Like always, enjoy.**

**The One In The Elevator**

"Kelly, take off the baseball hat," Mac told her as he got onto the elevator with her, Stella, and Hawkes.

"I like my hat," she said taking it off her head. Outside, it was raining heavily. A bolt of lightning hit the building in which the lab was in. The elevator had just started to go down when the power went out.

"Of course," Mac sighed. The elevator was black. Kelly slid down to the floor. Soon the other three followed suit.

"What to do," Stella said.

"Well, I know something I could do, but not with boss man in here," Kelly replied smiling.

"Don't even joke about that," Mac said sternly.

"As if you don't want to do it with Stella," Kelly mumbled. If the lights were on, Kelly would have been scared by the look Mac gave her.

"Anyone have cards?" Stella asked.

"Yeah, I do," Kelly got them out of her jacket.

"You carry cards with you?" Mac asked.

"Yeah," she replied. Hawkes got into his kit and took his flashlight out. Kelly and Stella found their flashlights and took them out. Kelly shuffled the cards and started to deal. They played Texas Hold 'Em. They played with swabs and print lifts.

"I'm all in," Kelly said. She had two Aces. Hawkes had folded. Mac and Stella were still in it. Mac had three of a kind. Stella was working on a flush. In the River, there were two more Aces dealt. Stella was one away from a flush. Mac had four of a kind also. His was in Kings.

"Ha," Kelly said as she took the swaps and print lifts from the pot. She tossed one to Mac and told him, "Here solve a crime."

Mac scowled at her. Stella smiled. Hawkes chuckled. Kelly scooted over by Hawkes and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"So… um… what should we do for however long we are stuck in her?" Stella asked.

"We could talk," Kelly suggested in a joking manner. The flashlights' batteries were starting to die. Kelly's phone rang. She put it on speaker.

"Where are you guys?" Flack demanded.

"Well," Kelly began.

"Seriously, Kelly, where are you?" Flack was getting concerned. Nothing ever good started with 'well.'

"Trapped in an elevator," she answered.

"Who's with you?" he asked.

"Mac, Stella, and Hawkes. Flack, what is a fun game to play on an elevator? We already played cards," she asked the detective.

"Well, I know something to do on an elevator, but not if Mac's there," Flack laughed.

"I already tried that line, Flack," she told him.

"Still funny, though," he answered.

"Just keep thinking that," Kelly said.

"Jerk," Flack told her jokingly.

"Loser," she answered in kind.

"I got to go. Angell's here. I'm going to talk to her about last night," Flack told Kelly.

"Flack, have fun flirting. Also, you are on speaker," she hung up. She laughed. She returned to leaning against Hawkes who put his arm around her.

"PDA," Stella laughed.

"You're one to talk. You're in the same position over there," Kelly answered.

"Okay, if you don't mind me asking. How the heck would you know about elevator incidents?" Mac asked.

"First, I wasn't born in a barn. Second, my friends at the Miami Dade Lab have had some experience if you know what I mean," Kelly laughed. Hawkes joined her.

"Now I think I've thrown up a little in my mouth," Mac said. Stella smiled at him.

"Mac, how would you know? Personal experience?" Kelly asked. Mac glared.

"No, that would be morally wrong," Mac told her.

"I knew it! You so have personal experience. Mac Taylor, how could you?" Kelly asked smiling. Stella looked over at Mac. She laughed.

"No, I don't have experience," Mac was adamant. He was also telling the truth.

"Who knows how long we are going to be in here," Hawkes sighed. It had been three hours since they had gotten caught in the elevator.

"Mac, remind me to slap you when I get out," Kelly mumbled as she started to drift off next to Hawkes.

"What for?" Mac demanded.

"For having us go on an elevator in a storm. A brilliant decision I might add," Kelly still had sarcasm in her sleepy voice. Hawkes smiled and held her closer. He kissed the top of her head.

"I didn't force you to go on the elevator," Mac answered ready for a fight.

"I don't feel like fighting right now, Mac," she was tired and hungry.

"Yeah, now you aren't in the mood for fighting. Every other time is fine. Am I right?" Mac told her.

"That's neither here nor there," she replied.

"Okay, we will go with that. Since we are on the subject, what is with the fights?" Mac asked.

"I don't know," she replied anger rising.

"During the last fight, you mentioned something about people hurting you. What happened?" Mac wouldn't give up.

"I don't ever talk about that anymore," Kelly had tears in her eyes. Mac had hit a touchy subject. Kelly buried her head into Hawkes' chest as the last of the light faded. They couldn't see anything in the elevator. Hawkes held her close to him.

"Reminds me of the undercover case," Hawkes whispered to Kelly.

"What does?" she asked.

"That was the first time you let me hold you close like this," Hawkes' smile went unnoticed in the dark. Kelly knew he was smiling though because she was too.

"I love you, Hawkes," she told him.

"What did you say?" he asked surprised. She had never told him that.

"I didn't just say that," she tried to explain. She was the one who was scared of commitment.

"You so did," Mac told her.

"When did he enter the conversation?" she asked. Mac scowled.

"I love you too," Hawkes told her.

"This would be so much better if we could see," Stella said. Kelly laughed.

"Doesn't Mac have his kit with him?" she asked.

"Yeah, he does," Stella answered.

"Yo, Mackey Boi, can you get your flashlight out?" Kelly asked. Mac sighed and dug into his kit to find the light. He tossed it to Kelly who turned it on. The ground was clear of the swabs and print lifts they had used for poker. Kelly rummaged through her pockets and found a pack of chewing gum. She passed out pieces to Hawkes, Mac, and Stella. It was Citrus Mint by Orbit. She smiled remembering Flack's joke. She had so many good times associated with being on the NY team. She had to say that she couldn't live without anyone on the team. It was a great environment. The lights in the elevator started to come back on. The four CSI's stood up.

"I think it's safe to say that what happened in the elevator stays in the elevator," Kelly said putting her hat back on. The elevator went to the floor below and opened the doors.

"How about we take the stairs?" Hawkes suggested picking up his kit.

**After Notes: Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: CountryGirl8, EverythingIsConnected, luf100, CSIMiami17, and lily moonlight! You guys rock my world! FFN Awards are still going on! I still want to thank the people who have nominated me! They (lily moonlight and Blue Shadowdancer) rock the boat! Hope you have a great day! :D**


	19. The One With How It All Began

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: This is right after The One In The Elevator. It will have some flashbacks hence the title. Well, the title isn't The One With The Flashbacks, but that could be a future one. I bet you are wondering how each of the couples began. We know how Danny and Lindsay began, but how did they end? Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With How It All Began**

"Do you ever regret this?" he asked once again. She sighed. He was always the gentleman. He didn't have to explain what he meant. She knew he wanted to know if she ever thought twice about them starting a romantic relationship.

"I will say this again as I do every day. I never second guess this. Do you?" she rebutted. He sighed.

"Never," he told her what he believed with every ounce of his heart.

"_Do you think we are doing the right thing?" he asked her before he kissed her. She looked him in his eyes. His blue-green eyes made her melt. She closed her eyes._

"_I don't regret this if that's what you are asking," she answered. _

"_I don't either," he looked into her eyes. Her green eyes made him weak at the knees._

"_Ask me in a month and I might have a different answer, Mac," she leaned in, and he mirrored this._

In his right hand, her hand was there. It was always there these days. He squeezed her hand before getting out of the vehicle. They went up to Flack who had been waiting for almost six hours.

"There you guys are," Flack was a little mad even though it wasn't their fault. At his side, Angell was perched.

"If you wanted us to solve the case, all you had to do was ask," Angell said. Flack smiled at her.

"_Stop smiling like that, Flack," Angell told him. His smile made her stomach do flips. He still smiled as he paid the bill at Sullivan's. He went outside to get a cab for Angell._

"_Here ya go," Flack gave another award winning smile. Angell blushed._

"_Why don't we share a cab?" she asked._

"_But we live on the opposite sides of town," he replied._

"_I know," she told him. Flack got into the cab without another word._

"Flack, you still here?" Mac asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Who discovered the body?" Stella asked.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bland over there. Every word that came out of their mouths was monotone," Flack said impersonating them.

"Good to know. Oh and Flack," Mac started.

"Yeah," he answered.

"I really don't want to know about your personal life," Mac told him. Flack turned red. He wouldn't have said that if he had known. Kelly and he were good enough friends that they told each other stuff like that.

"Nice of you two to finally show up," Stella told the approaching Kelly and Hawkes. Kelly shrugged and started processing the perimeter. Hawkes joined her.

"Just because she told you that she loved you, it doesn't mean you have to help her process the perimeter," Mac said loud enough for Flack and Angell to hear. Kelly didn't mind. It was just the first time in front of someone else that she had told Hawkes that she loved him.

"_Hawkes," she started. They were dancing in his apartment. She had her head on his chest._

"_What?" he asked._

"_Would it be too corny if I told you that I am in love with you?" she asked their hearts in sync with each other's._

"_Do you mean it?" he wanted to know. She nodded._

"Did she really say that?" Flack asked.

"Yeah, I did," Kelly said sure of herself.

……………………………………………..

"Lindsay, I miss you," Danny pleaded. She had tears in her eyes. It had been a month since she had found out, but it still stung.

"Danny, do you know how much I wanted you to say that when we were together? Do you have any idea how much you hurt me?" Lindsay had tears rolling down her cheeks.

"_Hey, Rikki," Lindsay greeted her. Rikki and Lindsay were acquaintances. They said hi to each other in the hall. Today, Rikki didn't return the greeting._

"_What's wrong?" she asked. Rikki said bye to her and left her standing there. The super came up to Lindsay. He had a crush on the Montana girl. He had no idea how much what he would tell her would hurt her._

"_Lindsay," the super greeted her. They had met the year before at a party._

"_Gunther," she returned the greeting._

"_I have some news," he told her seriously. Lindsay was a little concerned._

"_Is Danny alright?" she asked. Yeah, he has you doesn't he, Gunther thought._

"_He and Rikki slept together," he told her. She didn't know how to react._

"Do you think that I wanted Gunther to tell you?" he asked. Lindsay turned away.

"Then why, Danny? Why?" she asked tears reforming in her eyes.

……………………………………………………

"So I'm guessing you and Kelly didn't make nice on that elevator," Flack said.

"We were stuck on there for five hours, twenty-nine minutes, and forty-seven seconds," Kelly said exasperated.

"Mind you that's just an estimation," she told him. She looked out of the window. The rain had turned to snow. It was an early snow for October. She missed playing in the snow as a child. There may not have been much snow in Texas, but it was enough for her.

**After Notes: Short, I know. I couldn't write, and I wanted to update. I couldn't resist having the blab's name be Gunther. I just couldn't resist. I am currently writing another one shot via pen and paper. I was banned from the computer for 'talking back.' I was no talking back. I just didn't want my mom looking over my shoulder while I worked. Okay, back to the part where I ask for you to review: Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, CSIMiami17, Blue Shadowdancer, and au004! You guys are amazing. Okay, this is rushed because I have to go to school. Hope you all have a good day! (Remember that you can vote in your favorite categories for the FFN Awards) :D**


	20. The One With The Christmas Shift

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. I do own my OC.**

**Notes: I really wanted a Christmas one shot. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Christmas Shift**

"Fine, Hawkes, just go home. Merry Christmas," she said angrily as she walked out of the locker room. She was steaming, and she had no idea why. She always hated this season. She loved the winter, but not Christmas. Hawkes just wasn't getting it. At least, he didn't from her point of view.

"Relationships," she sighed extremely annoyed. She was more annoyed with herself than with Hawkes.

"Tell me about it," Danny took a drink of water.

"Danny, your situation is a little different," she told him.

"Well, yeah, I know it is. Hawkes could cheat on you. It's always a possibility," he said.

"Danny, listen now because the next time you ever say that I will probably knock you out. Hawkes won't cheat on me. He's not you. Also, we had a fight. We didn't break up," she told him. Danny nodded.

"Who is working the Christmas shift besides you and me?" he asked.

"Mac, Adam, and Kendall," she answered.

"Adam and Kendall are still together. Mac and Stella are fighting," Danny replied.

"Which is none of your business," Mac walked in.

"Yet somehow the entire lab knows," Kelly answered. Mac glared.

"It's Christmas. Can't you two stop fighting just for this shift?" Danny asked.

"No," they answered. Danny rolled his eyes.

"Just a truce, please, it's Christmas," Danny said finishing his water bottle. Kelly and Mac looked at each other then finally consented to a Christmas truce.

……………………………………

"So you're mad at Hawkes for caring too much?" Danny asked not believing her.

"No, I'm annoyed at myself for finding that annoying," she corrected him.

"That is so the opposite of every girl I have ever dated. It's always 'Danny, why don't you pay attention to my needs' or 'Danny, why do you have to go to work,'" he told her. Mac laughed. Kelly smiled.

"Well, at least I didn't cheat on him," Kelly said. Danny shot a glare.

"We aren't fighting anymore," Danny rebutted to Kelly, but he was honestly talking to Mac who took his turn glaring at someone.

……………………………………

"We don't know what you said either," Kelly told Mac.

"I'm clueless," Mac shrugged.

"We are so pathetic. It's Christmas, and we are all sitting here with no dates I might add," Danny said.

"No, I have a boyfriend. We are just fighting," Kelly said the second point quietly.

"How long has it been since shift started?" Danny asked.

"Thirty minutes," Mac sighed. It was going to be a long Christmas. He leaned back in his chair. He was looking across the lab out the window. It was snowing heavily.

"Looks like you might get that white Christmas, Kelly. I bet you didn't have those in Texas," Mac said.

"Great, then all the pieces in my life will fall right into place," Kelly replied sarcastically. Mac rolled his eyes. Not even a truce could stop the sarcasm. It wasn't as if he expected it to.

………………………………

"It's been thirty five minutes now. Please stop asking, Danny. It's not going by any faster," Mac said.

"Go after her," Kelly mumbled to Mac.

"What?" he honestly hadn't heard her.

"Apologize and make things right with her," Kelly told him.

"I don't know why she's even mad at me," Mac made up an excuse even though he knew that Kelly was right.

"Why does that matter?" she asked.

"I don't know," he answered.

"We're all adults here," she started.

"Are you including yourself in that?" Mac asked. Kelly ignored this.

"Stop making childish excuses, and make things right, Mac. It's Christmas. Don't spend it alone," she advised. Under her breath, she added, "Like always."

"Actually, I think I will go and try to make things right. Thanks," he said getting up.

"Wait, change your shirt, Mac. You'll want to look nice. Danny, what do you think?" she asked.

"Well, it's not as if I notice these things, but either the black or the maroon," Danny replied. Mac looked shocked.

"Like we would let you leave looking like that. Go to your locker and put on a clean shirt like a good little boy scout. Choose black or maroon," she ordered. When Mac walked out utterly defeated, Danny and Kelly laughed.

"Okay, how about flowers?" Kelly asked Danny.

"Definitely," he answered.

"I hope I can find some," Kelly got a phone book out and started calling stores to see if they were open. Finally, she got on the phone with one.

"Do you deliver?" she asked.

"Yeah," the 'flower dude' as she called him answered.

"Okay, can you deliver to…" Kelly set it up for Mac.

"Is this making you feel any better about Hawkes?" Danny asked.

"No, but I feel better about how I was treating Mac before you knew about the two of them," she sighed. Danny shrugged.

"I know something that would make you feel better," Danny said.

"Hold that thought," Kelly said as Mac came back.

"Can I leave?" Mac asked wondering why he was getting their approval.

"Black looks nice on you. I still stand by what I said about the maroon bringing out the color in your eyes," Kelly said making Mac turn red.

"Okay, so just apologize?" he was nervous. He knew he messed up, but he didn't know how.

"Yeah, and if she says anything about roses, just agree. You can thank us later," Kelly told him. Mac was confused but left anyway after getting his coat from his office.

"Want to have some fun?" Danny asked her. Kelly smiled.

"Where?" she wondered.

"Either the morgue or Mac's office," he answered. Kelly looked at him eyes raised.

"Mac's office? A bit risky don't you think?" she winked remembering the last time.

"How about the morgue?" he asked.

"Okay, I can live with that even if it's not the best place to do it," she told him.

"I will get some stuff," Danny said walking out. Kelly went to her locker and got her gift she bought for Mac out. It was_ Juno_. She put it on his desk with a note telling him, "Merry Christmas."

"Ready?" Danny asked when he met her in the morgue.

"Of course, have I ever not been ready?" she rebutted.

……………………………..

Mac came back to the lab with Stella. They had made up as they always had. It was three hours later. A lot of talking was involved. They went to the break room first and realized that Kelly and Danny were gone.

"Okay, I doubt they left. Where are they?" Stella asked.

"I have no idea, but I do know that the lab is pretty much empty," Mac told her.

"Kelly wouldn't do that to Hawkes," Stella told him.

"They're fighting," Mac told her.

"How do you know this?" she asked. Mac went on to tell her about the first part of shift. They decided to ask Adam and Kendall if they had seen the other two.

"I think they are in the morgue," Kendall answered. Mac gave Stella a look saying that he was right.

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," she told him.

………………………………

"I'm exhausted, Danny. We've done this three times. Not again," was the first thing Stella and Mac heard.

"Come on, Higgins," was the second thing they heard. They were not thinking good thoughts about the two of them.

"Fine, but you better do it right this time," that was it. Mac entered the morgue not prepared for what he saw.

"Knock it off?" he said surprised. Kelly and Danny were playing darts with scalpels.

"It's not what it looks like," Kelly answered.

"Well, we certainly weren't expecting this," Mac told them.

"We?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah, we," Mac replied as Stella entered the morgue.

"Kelly won again?" she asked.

"Yeah," Danny was not in a great mood.

"You know about Scalpel Darts?" Kelly wondered.

"No, but if you ask when Mac's not around then yes I do," she answered making the others laugh.

………………………………………..

"You know what," Kelly started.

"What?" Mac asked not caring.

"I'm going to call him and meet him somewhere," she said getting up.

"Good for you," Mac told her.

"Since when do you care?" Stella asked.

"They made a truce," Danny replied. Stella nearly choked on the tea she was drinking. The thought was funny.

"Seriously?" she wondered.

"Yeah," Mac answered.

……………………………………

"Hawkes, I'm glad you met me here," she told him honestly.

"What's up?" he wanted to know why she was here.

"I'm sorry. I had no business acting the way I did," she apologized. He thought for a moment then embraced her. They stood there hugging as the snow came down turning the shoulders of their coats white. They didn't mind the cold. They were spending Christmas, together.

**After Notes: I hope that made sense. I also hope it was funny. Please review! I'm open for suggestions. I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, lily moonlight, EverythingIsConnected, CSIMiami17, and Blue Shadowdancer! You guys rock the world, mainly my world. It's my world. You are just living in it. I'm joking. See I'm funny and now off track. Remember to vote in the FFN Awards. I'm nominated for Best Romance (If Music Be The Food Of Love), Best OC (Kelly Higgins), Most Humorous (The One With The CSI's), Best Hawkes/OC Pairing (Hawkes/Higgins or HaH as I like to call them), and I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one nominated in Best Hawkes/OC Author. I have my fingers crossed. Thanks to lily ****moonlight and Blue Shadowdancer for nominating me! They rock! Hope you all had a great day. Don't forget to wish your mom a happy Mother's Day. :D**


	21. The One With The Explosion

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. You know that if I did Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I have a request for a cliffhanger. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Explosion**

"Mac, I'm just saying that a day off is a day off. Just because everyone else is sick doesn't mean that I have to miss my day off," she told him coming out of the locker room. There were only a couple of lab techs left.

"It was my day off too," he told her.

"You take days off?" she asked sarcastically. Mac just continued putting on his coat.

"Danny is already at the scene," he said.

"Great, you make me come to the lab then right back out to a scene," she replied.

"Well… what were you going to do on your day off?" he asked.

"Nothing," she told him.

"My point exactly"

…………………………………………….

"Morning," Danny greeted them. Kelly and Mac had a pure hatred for each other at the moment. Then again, they almost always hated each other. They didn't greet Danny, just got straight to work. Kelly and Danny were processing the study.

"Danny, check this out," Kelly knocked on the wall next to the bookshelf. It was hollow. Her knock echoed behind the false wall.

"Secret doorway?" he suggested.

"An easy way out for a killer or a good place to hide," Kelly started to look at the bookshelf. There had to be a handle somewhere. Danny joined her search. They took off books until finally they found a keyhole. Kelly flipped through the book she was holding. There wasn't a key in there. Three hours of relentless searching through the books passed when Mac came in holding a small gold key.

"Is this what you are looking for?" he asked.

"Where did you find it?" Danny asked.

"In the victim's hand," he answered.

"Let's see if it works," Kelly took the key and tried it. It turned in the hole. The bookshelf squealed when she opened it.

"You have got to be kidding me," she said. It was like a gallery of some type except there was pieces of what looked like maps.

"This guy must have hated us. If there is a clue in those pieces, it's going to take at least a day with all of us working on it," Danny said. It was true. There was at least two dozen give or take a few pieces.

…………………………………..

"I think I got it," Danny told Mac showing a picture of the map they put together under an ALS light.

"We got it," Kelly corrected him. Danny rolled his eyes.

"This is the next door neighbor's address," Mac said.

"Yeah, we thought that maybe this neighbor has one of those secret tunnel gallery," Kelly replied.

"So we had Flack get the blueprints, and the neighboring tunnels connect through a wall. Well, they used to connect. They did until about ten years ago," Danny relayed onto Mac.

………………………………..

"NYPD!" Kelly yelled. She never did get tired of yelling that. Dallas PD just didn't have the same ring to it. Danny kicked the door in when they got no answer. Normally, Flack would be with them, but they got tired of waiting for him.

"We have a warrant," Danny yelled to whoever might be in the house. Kelly went forward to the study with her gun drawn. She looked at a copy of the blueprints. The false wall was, well, false just as the blueprints were. She pulled some books away and found another keyhole. This was a doppelganger to the other door.

"Mac, what room was the victim in next door?" she asked.

"Kitchen. Why?" he called back.

"I need a key," she yelled. Several minutes later she got a reply.

"Got it," Mac said walking in. Danny was close behind. He had already cleared the rest of the house. Mac handed Kelly the key which she opened the false door with. The tunnel was dark except for the sides which there were electric lanterns turned on. It had a medieval feel to it.

"I feel like Indiana Jones except without the Nazis," Kelly told the guys walking in with their guns drawn. They heard a steady ticking in the distance. At first, Kelly thought it was a clock. The further she walked down the hallway the more she realized that it wasn't coming from a clock. She followed the noise while Danny and Mac went to explore side rooms. Kelly suddenly had a very bad feeling as she walked into the room remembering what had happened the last time she went into a room alone. A digital clock was in the corner. When she came closer, she realized that it wasn't a clock but a timer.

"Mac, Danny, come here," she said backing away from the ticking timer.

"Yeah," Danny came in closely followed by Mac.

"Do either one of you know how to disarm a bomb?" she asked panic not being able to disguise itself in her voice. Despite the fear, Mac and Danny came closer to see that it was indeed a bomb.

"Get out of here," Mac said as the timer past ten seconds left. Kelly and Danny got to the doorway before they turned back.

"Don't play hero, Mac, get out of here," Kelly yelled. Danny went into the room after Mac. Kelly saw what happened next in slow motion. She saw each of Danny's steps hit the floor. She saw Mac turnaround from the bomb and head out. He passed Danny as the timer hit two seconds left. Kelly looked at them once more before she dived to the ground. She slid a little and saw no more. She couldn't hear either. Daring to move, she turned over and tried to protect her head from the falling debris. Finally, it was like someone turned off the mute button. Sound came rushing into her ears. The collapsing slowed for a few minutes. Kelly sat up and looked around. She didn't recognize anything. She started coughing hard. She was sure she had coughed up more than dust. But instinct took over. She had to find Mac and Danny.

"Mac!" she yelled. There was no answer. Kelly yelled his name three more times with no answer.

"Danny! Where are you?" Kelly bellowed. It echoed through the destroyed structure. She called for the two of them again and again. Each time she received no answer.

**After Notes: I hope that made sense. I accidently knocked the cord out of the computer while I was typing. Was that a good enough cliffhanger? I can be mean. Not as mean as my math class, but that is another story. It's actually rather funny. Now, I'm off track. Please tell me what you think! I would like to thank my reviewers: iluvthejoebros, CSIMiami17, luf100, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, au004, and Blue Shadowdancer! You guys are so cool. Y'all are too cool for school. I would love to trade places with one of you so I wouldn't have to go to school and take finals. Remember how I said I can be mean. I might not resolve this cliffhanger for two weeks. I have to exams this week, my brother's graduation, this camping trip with my grade, and three more exams after that followed by my eighth grade graduation. I will see what I can do. I probably won't study for my Latin exam, but that's still in two weeks. Hope you have a good day! :D (I wish I didn't have to leave you guys, but I will be here for a lot of the summer.)**


	22. The One Down Under

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines (though I seriously doubt FRIENDS would have the mains be in a bomb). If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I guess I need to tell y'all what happens to Mac, Kelly, and Danny. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Down Under**

Kelly groaned as she stood up. She had definitely broken a couple of ribs. After another fit of coughs, she came to the realization she had been dreading. If she didn't get out of there soon, she was going to die. Her lung was failing. She put that behind her. If Mac and or Danny died, she would blame herself for not getting to them in time. Carefully, she maneuvered around. She found one of the kits more or less intact. It was Mac's. She rummaged through to find his flashlight. Kelly turned it on. Traveling down the destructive path, a particle reflected. It was a watch, Mac's watch. She tried to run, but doubled over so she went as quickly as she could to him.

"Mac," she whispered grunting. There was still no reply. Kelly checked for a pulse. It was there as clear as day, maybe not a New City day, but a Texas day. The next thing she did was check for any obvious injuries besides Mac being unconscious. She went back to his kit and brought it over. Kelly started coughing into her sleeve. Whatever was happening to her lung was happening fast. She ignored that and continued playing doctor. Where was Hawkes when they needed him? Mac's left wrist was broken, and his left shoulder was dislocated. Kelly made a splint for his wrist.

"What are you doing?" Mac asked regaining consciousness. Kelly was going to use his shirt to make a sling for his arm. She had one hand on his shoulder, the other on his arm.

"This is going to hurt," she warned breathing hard.

"What is goi-" Mac didn't get any further in the sentence. Kelly had successfully pushed his shoulder back into his socket. Mac hit the ground with his other fist to try and distract him from the pain. He also stomped his foot on the ground.

"Your shoulder was dislocated," she said putting the crude sling around him. She then added, "Your wrist is broken. I think your leg is bleeding, but I'm not sure. I will let you deal with that. You're lucky that it wasn't more than that."

"Where's Danny?" he asked wondering why Kelly had doctored him up.

"I don't know. I found you first," Kelly went into another fit of coughs. She was trying to hide the blood from Mac. Luckily, she was wearing a dark shirt. Mac knew something was up, but he didn't press her.

"Come on, let's find Danny," he said sitting up. Kelly helped him up so he wouldn't put pressure on his left arm. She was still trying to hide the pain. They looked around for a while then Mac found something that looked like a pair of glasses. Danny had to be near them. Kelly was coughing harder now. She fell to her knees. She clutched her chest as she coughed. Mac grabbed her arm and pulled her up. He turned her to face him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Kelly gasped.

"You are coughing up blood, Kells. What happened?" he asked using a pet name Flack used.

"Oh, that blood. I think my lung is failing," she said as if it was no big deal. Deep down under, she was scared. She didn't want to die. She refused to die there.

"Kells, we have to get you out," he told her sternly. She nodded, but she still went over to where they thought Danny might be.

"I have to help him, Mac," Kelly said moving debris to find Danny in a very awkward positioning. She immediately looked for a pulse. She found it. She then looked at what was throwing the normalcy of Danny off, his right leg. It was broken and would need surgery. She didn't splint it because it was too much to handle. Also, if he had regained consciousness the pain would send him into a coma. Well, maybe not a coma, but it would be excruciating. Danny had several cuts on his face and neck.

………………………………….

Flack was waiting outside the destroyed structure. He had every one he could trying to get them out. Why didn't they just wait for him? He put his thoughts aside and tried calling Danny. The dialing tone rang twice before someone answered.

"Flack," Kelly said into the phone. She sounded different to him. She sounded gruff and hoarse like she had a bad cold.

"What were you thinking?" he asked angrily.

"I don't know. We need an ambulance. Danny's unconscious and has a broken leg. Mac's left wrist is broken, and his left shoulder is dislocated," she told the detective.

"And you?" Flack asked. Kelly didn't like the subject being her so she wouldn't tell unless asked. She was just that way.

"I think my lung is failing," Kelly said coughing again. In the background, Flack could hear Kelly telling Mac what to do. He could hear Mac mumbling things under his breath.

"We're going to get you out, Kells," Flack told her confidently. He hung up. He ran up to the head of the crew digging them out.

"You guys need to step it up. I just talked to one. She thinks her lung is failing," Flack said urgently.

"What if she's wrong? If we hurry, we could make a mistake that could cost all of them their lives," the chief digger said.

"Why don't we wait and see if she's right? Does that sound good to you?" he asked infuriated by this guy.

…………………………………………………

"I can't do anything else," Kelly told Mac as she slowly got up. Mac was mad at her for giving up. Danny wasn't dying, but he wasn't doing well either.

"So you are just going to give up? Like you gave up on your parents," he said wishing he wouldn't have to go that low to get his point across. Kelly turned to face him.

"You have no right," Kelly glared. Mac matched the look she gave him.

"You have no right treating me the way you do," he snarled. She was furious.

"That was ten years ago. You have no business researching this," she forgot that her lung was failing. She was ready to fight.

"You had no business blackmailing Stella and me," he replied just as angrily. Kelly gave a death glare. She had made her hands into fist. She was about to punch Mac, when she fell to her knees coughing. Mac's anger and resentment at her vanished on the spot. She wasn't getting back up after she stopped coughing. He ran over and kneeled next to her. She was in a lot of pain and was finally letting it show.

……………………………………………

"It's clear to go in," a digger told the paramedics and Flack. He was unprepared at the condition of the room. Somehow, the three CSI's survived, and it was definitely a miracle. He saw Mac kneeling next to Kelly. They were by Danny.

"I heard someone needed a rescue," Flack said. Mac looked up at him finally hoping for the best.

**After Notes: I hope you liked that. Should I continue with the hospital? Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: au004, luf100, EverythingIsConnected, CSIMiami17, lily moonlight, Blue Shadowdancer, and Sarryb! You guys are amazing. I won't have any more up for a week or so. I hope I will be able to reply to your reviews. If I don't, it's because I'm camping. Hope you guys had a great week! :D**


	23. The One With The Suspension

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together as they ought to be right now.**

**Notes: I have my own computer right now. It's red! I love that color. I am going to have trouble not writing adventure because I'm watching **_**Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom**_**. Harrison Ford is hot. What can I say? It's true. I will continue with the hospital. I don't know much about medical stuff so I am trying my best. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Suspension**

Another fit of coughing filled the destroyed structure followed by more coughs. A paramedic rushed in. Mac didn't hear any of this. He could barely watch either. Everything was a blur. He stepped back from Kelly and closed his eyes in an attempt to concentrate.

"Mac! Mac!" Flack yelled to get through to him. He opened his eyes. The sound rushed back deafening him for a moment. The world slowed to normal.

"Yeah," he replied looking around. The paramedics had Kelly on a stretcher, and another group loaded Danny onto one.

"Let's go," Flack told him. Mac nodded but remained frozen to the ground like a deer in the headlights. Flack half led him out of the collapsed building. Mac was in a daze. It was surreal, but not the surreal he would have wished it was. He walked away, but a part of him seemed to remain there. He still heard a steady ticking. Mac looked around wondering what it was coming from. It freaked him out a little, and it sent him back to before the bomb. He finally came to the realization that it was his watch. He took it off absentmindedly and handed it to Flack. Flack looked surprised but took the wrist watch anyway. He pocketed it. Mac was looking for someone now. He wanted to know where Stella was.

"Where's Stella?"

………………………………………………………

Hawkes walked into the lab finally feeling better. He had gotten the flu and had spent the last week at home which was like a vacation but in the same way not a vacation. The first thing he did was to go to the break room to catch some of the news. He had overslept and had missed it.

"Catching up on things?" Stella asked him walking in. He looked back at her for a second then returned his attention to the television in time to hear the top story.

"_Our top story this morning is a bomb in Queens. Three crime scene investigators were stuck in it. We have unconfirmed reports of a possible death."_

"Who are the idiots who went in there without waiting for Homicide or at least backup?" Stella wondered not realizing who was actually caught in the blast.

"I have no idea," Hawkes replied laughing. The two continued to watch the story on this blast.

"_Wait, we have the names of the detectives in the blast. Detective Mac Taylor, Detective Kelly Higgins, and Detective Danny Messer were the unlucky three."_

"What?!" Hawkes and Stella manage to yell together. Anger, confusion, and utter sadness were some of the emotions expressed at that moment. Stella got her car keys.

"I'm driving"

"Just get us there"

………………………………………………

"I don't know. I haven't talked to her yet. I was too busy making sure you were alive," Flack replied. Mac looked down.

"Are they-" he started.

"Going to be all right? They are going to Angel of Mercy which is where you should be right now. Come on, I'll give you a ride," Flack offered.

"Okay"

…………………………………………..

"I bet they are at Angel of Mercy," Hawkes said when they got to the scene. There were some CSI's from the day shift beginning to process the scene. They hadn't heard on the news that they had gotten out.

"Alright"

………………………………………..

Her heart monitor beeped steadily keeping in rhythm with her heart. She could breathe again. It hurt, but she wasn't coughing anymore.

"Morning," Hawkes told her. She looked over.

"It's morning?" she asked. Her voice was raspy and very quiet. It surprised her.

"Yeah. You slept through the night. How are you feeling?" he kissed her forehead.

"Great, just wonderful. If you see Mac, can you tell him that I'm not forgiving him?" Kelly whispered. He smiled.

"The bomb wasn't his fault. What did he do?" Hawkes asked.

"He just said something that he shouldn't have," she replied. Her voice was getting worse.

"Get some sleep," he kissed her lightly on the lips.

…………………………………………….

"Mac!" Stella said walking into a room. He was sitting down looking at an X-Ray for his wrist. A doctor had wrapped it. He had to get a cast in a few days. He had a real sling for his shoulder. He looked up and smiled.

"Hey Stel," he whispered. He didn't know why he was whispering, but he always felt like being quiet at hospitals.

"What the heck were you thinking? You three could have died," she scolded. Mac smiled. It was typical Stella to scold him like that.

"I don't know," he answered. Stella sat next to him and leaned her head on his good shoulder. He put his arm around her.

"Stella, I didn't know you were here," Flack walked in.

"I got here an hour ago. How are Kelly and Danny?" she asked.

"Both in surgery. Hopefully, Kelly's lung will be back to normal. The surgeons are confident about both surgeries. They say that they operate on leg's all the time. I called Lindsay just because she ought to know. If Danny and Lindsay have a chance to get back together, this might be it," Flack told them.

"Did you just say ought?" Mac asked.

"Yeah," Flack replied. Mac and Stella laughed. Stella put her arm around Mac.

"Shoulder, shoulder," Mac repeated in pain until Stella removed her arm. Flack laughed.

"Sorry," she said smiling. Mac looked over at her and also smiled.

"I guess it's just a waiting game now," Mac told the others.

……………………………………………….

Lindsay set her purse down by a chair in Danny's hospital room. He was sitting up watching the Yankees play the Red Sox.

"At least Clemens isn't playing anymore. It could be a lot worse," she said breaking the silence. Danny looked over at her and smiled.

"He was okay. Montana, how are you?" he asked. She smiled.

"My best friend broke his leg, my boss broke his wrist, and another friend of mine is recovering from a failed lung, but besides that I'm great," she told him.

"Best friend?" he asked smiling.

"Yeah, you are my best friend. You have been since I came here. I still am not ready for what we had to happen again," she replied. They continued watching the Red Sox beat the Yankees until a miraculous eighth inning where the Yankees came back to win the game.

………………………………………..

"Morning," Kelly told Danny when she got into the lab. It was two weeks since the bomb. Mac, Danny, and herself were on lab duty. They absolutely hated every moment of it. Mac couldn't process a scene with his cast and his shoulder still in a sling. Danny was on crutches. He was actually on desk duty, but he called it lab duty. It made him feel less helpless. Hawkes and everyone else didn't want Kelly back out into the field until she got her lung capacity back. Tensions were running high between Kelly and Mac after the incident in the secret passageway.

"Morning," Mac told the two of them walking in.

"I was just getting that paperwork," Danny said leaving them. Kelly gave him a glare for abandoning her. He had a smirk on his face. Kelly had a very strong urge to make an obscene hand gesture at him. She resisted that urge.

"Kelly, can I at least apologize or is that too mature for you?" Mac asked smugness not hidden at all. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"You think you can just make jokes and end this. Mac, you're my boss. I thought you were a friend. Of course, friends don't do what you did," she said getting riled up. Her pager buzzed. Adam waved her over. She practically jogged over to him.

"Thank you," she said when she got over to him. Adam smiled loving to be the hero for the moment. He handed her the tox results.

"Chloroform. Thanks, Adam," she told him. Kelly returned to the layout room. Mac had left. She laid the results and pictures out on the table. She started drumming her fingers while she looked for a clue.

"Anything?" Hawkes asked. She looked up smiling.

"No, but at least it's you not Mac," she replied.

"What happened?" Hawkes repeated as he had for the past two weeks. Kelly said nothing. Her pager buzzed again. This time it was Mac, and this time she did make an obscene hand gesture. It was under the table of course so Mac wouldn't see. She headed over to his office steaming already. He was mad about something. She could tell that a fight was already brewing.

"Kelly," he started ticked off.

"Is there a reason that you couldn't just talk to me in the layout room, or is that too mature for you?" Kelly threw his line right back in his face. Mac scowled.

"Your signature is not on these forms. They are supposed to have been at the DA's office by now. Do you know what you could do to this case?" Mac was almost yelling. Kelly knew that her lung capacity was going to be tested in the next ten minutes.

"I'm sorry, Mac. You don't have to yell," she said signing the forms. She slammed the pen down.

"This is it," Mac started. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"That's a new one," Kelly told him sarcastically. Mac clenched his fists. Kelly copied.

"Shut it, Kelly," Mac snapped. Kelly glared. Mac scoffed at her which made her even more angry.

"Should I be scared of Mac Taylor?" Kelly mocked.

"You know what?" he asked.

"What?" she replied not caring.

"I can top that one. Kelly, you're suspended for insubordination," Mac replied. Kelly was shocked and angry.

"I know the drill," she replied. Kelly took her gun and badge and slammed it on his desk.

"I was going to go this way anyway, Mac"

…………………………………………………

Kelly slammed her car door and turned on the first station she could find.

_Where is the moment we needed the most?  
__You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost  
T__hey tell me your blue skies fade to grey  
__They tell me your passion's gone away  
__And I don't need no carryin' on _

_You stand in the line just to hit a new low  
__You're faking a smile with the coffee to go  
__They tell me your life's been way off line  
__You fall into pieces every time  
__And I don't need no carryin' on_

'_Cause you had a bad day, you're taking one down  
__You sing a sad song just to turn it around_

Kelly changed the station. She didn't want to listen to a song that made her feel any worse about what she said. Being suspended was something that she had experienced once or twice or seven times in her life. She finally just put her iPod in. She put it on _Look After You_ by _The Fray_. It was one of her favorite songs. When she got home, she slammed the door.

……………………………………………..

"Mac, I tried to find Kelly to give the results to. Where is she?" Hawkes asked.

"She's suspended," Mac replied getting a bottle of water.

"What?!" Hawkes said loudly. Stella and Lindsay were walking down the hall discussing a case when they heard this.

"Kelly got suspended?" Lindsay asked.

"Yes, she did," Mac replied tired of getting heat for everything lately.

"What for?" Hawkes asked.

"Insubordination," Mac replied leaving the break room.

…………………………………………….

"Kells," Hawkes rang out when he got to their apartment. She was asleep on the couch. It was the end of shift. It was going to be a long week for both of them. He sat down next to her. Why couldn't she have kept silent for once? He knew she was mad at Mac for something, but he didn't know what. He kissed her forehead and lay down next to her. It was a long shift so he fell asleep quickly.

……………………………………………

"Hawkes, you're late," Mac told him as Hawkes came jogging in.

"I fell asleep on the couch, and my alarm wasn't working, again," he added quietly.

"Whatever, I don't really care what you did with Kelly," Mac said.

"That really wasn't it," Hawkes said getting his kit from the locker room.

……………………………………………

"Welcome back," Danny told Kelly. It had been a long week. She was happy to be back. The week without pay really had tamed her tongue for then at least. Most of the team welcomed her back except for Mac. She and he did not talk or anything. And that was okay for then.

**After Notes: I hope that made sense. It's midnight here in the Lone Star State. The song was **_**Bad Day **_**by **_**Daniel Powter**_**. Please tell me what you thought. I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, EverythingIsConnected, Blue Shadowdancer, and lily moonlight! You guys are amazing! Hope you had a great day and a great weekend! :D**


	24. The One With The What If

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines because I happen to know that there was a What If episode. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. They really should be together.**

**Notes: What if Mac and Kelly were together and Stella and Flack? I've wanted to know. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The What If**

"Danno," Flack said when he walked in with Angell. He opened the door of Sullivan's for her. Danny looked up at them. He had ordered them beer. They sat down and began talking about the day and all their weird cases from over the years. The girls had somehow managed to all be on the case where all the suspects were male models. How they ever solved that was still a mystery for the guys. It was a laughing matter.

"What are you guys laughing at?" Hawkes asked when he walked to the table. Now Stella and Lindsay had joined the others.

"That case with the models," Stella answered. Hawkes nodded.

"Danny, remember that one where the suspect was Cynthia Daniels?" Hawkes inquired.

"She is so fine," Danny said his accent evident in his voice. The conversation continued to moments between the couples. Finally, Danny asked the question that all of them had wondered at one point.

"What if none of us were paired with those we are now?" he asked the others. They looked at him questioningly.

"Okay, call me crazy, but I know that this thought has entered all of your minds. What if Stella wasn't with Mac, Angell and Flack weren't together, and Kelly and Hawkes weren't together?" Danny asked.

"Like we were paired up with the others?" Stella wondered.

"Yeah, like you and Flack would be together. I don't know who Angell or Hawkes would be with, but what if Kelly and Mac were together?" Danny asked. Everyone started laughing. The thought of Stella and Flack was funny, but the thought of Kelly and Mac was hilarious. It reminded them all of the time where Kelly 'flirted' with Mac.

"I can't picture that. That's not just because Kelly's my girlfriend," Hawkes replied.

"Here let me paint it for you," Danny said.

"You've given this a lot of thought"

"_Oi, Mac," Kelly greeted her boss that morning. He looked up._

"_You're late again," He said being immediately harsh on her as if it wasn't partly his fault. Kelly smiled._

"_What can I say? I had things to do," she replied winking. Mac shook his head. _

"_Kelly, we have DB on 5__th__ Ave. We're meeting Flack there. He said he would try to be there in ten minutes," Mac told her._

"_If he's not too busy with Stella," Kelly mumbled under her breath. Mac gave her a stern look, but laughed anyway._

"Wait a minute," Stella said interrupting the story. Danny looked over at her.

"What? I got to give some credit to Flack," Danny smiled. Flack gave a look to kill.

"I don't need help. I'm just that good," Flack answered which caused everyone to laugh especially Angell.

"Okay, let me continue with the story," Danny said getting impatient.

"_I'll drive," Kelly said jingling the keys. Mac sighed but followed her to the car._

"_Why do you always drive?" he asked._

"_Because you are a suicidal driver, and I like my life," she replied._

"Okay, that's true. Mac's driving is insane," Stella said which was something everyone that agreed to.

"Alright, let's get back to my tale," Danny was very impatient.

"_You two finally got here," Flack greeted them._

"_She came in late, and I was waiting for her to get to work," Mac explained. Kelly smiled._

"_I don't like curfews and stuff like that. Cramps my style," she joked. Flack and Mac laughed._

"_Why were you waiting for her?" Flack asked._

"_Save the gas, save the world," Kelly replied blushing. Flack laughed._

"_Okay, but I don't believe you," Flack told her quietly. She continued blushing._

"_What do we have?" Mac asked changing the conversation. _

"Were not going to have to go through the entire crime scene, are we?" Hawkes asked.

"Someone's getting interested in this," Angell said.

"I think it's hilarious," he replied.

"Go on Danny. Put something exciting in it," Lindsay ordered. Danny saluted her.

"Yes ma'am"

"_Alright, I got the warrant. You two coming?" Flack asked._

"_Yeah," Kelly answered finishing cleaning her gun. She loaded it expertly which scared Flack._

"_Why do you have to load it like that? It creeps me out," Flack said. Kelly smiled._

"She carries a knife too," Hawkes told him. The others looked at him in confusion.

"She does?" Angell asked.

"It was her brother's. Keeps it with her all the time. Says it reminds her of him," Hawkes replied.

"Okay, I'm still trying to finish this story"

"_How was your date with Stella?" Kelly asked._

"No, she wouldn't come right out and say that," Flack said when he heard that.

"She did in the elevator," Stella replied.

"What happened in there?" Lindsay asked.

"Nothing. Let's get on with the story," Hawkes told Danny.

"_It was good. Why do we always talk about stuff like this? Actually, you never tell me about who you're dating. Who are you dating?" Flack asked._

"_A guy," Kelly answered._

"_That's good to know. I never pictured you as the lesbian type," Flack answered laughing._

"_Actually, a great guy. Y'all have already met," Kelly answered. Flack was going to spend forever trying to figure it out. She laughed. Mac was trying to not seem to interested in the conversation._

"_Let's go," Mac told them as he holstered his piece. Ten minutes later they were at the apartment. The door was thick and self locking. Flack kicked in the door._

"Well, who else could?" Flack said smugly.

"Stop interrupting!"

"_Whatever you do, don't let the door," Kelly started. The door closed behind them. _

"_Don!" Mac said angrily. He looked down._

"_Kelly, do you know what we could do?" Flack asked._

"_Well, no one is in the apartment or we probably would have been shot by now. We could go out the open window," Kelly said._

"_Lead the way, Indiana Jones," Mac said giving a small wink._

"Indiana Jones?" Stella asked.

"Before the bomb blast, Kelly said something about feeling like Indiana Jones except no Nazis. Alright, back to the story"

"_Aye aye, Mac," she said opening the window. She then told Flack, "Ladies first."_

"_Funny," Flack said, but he went anyway. Kelly followed. Mac went last._

"_I hate these things," Kelly mumbled as she climbed down the fire escape._

"_It's not like we are actually in a life threatening situation," Mac added._

"Have you noticed that when Kelly was knocked unconscious and when the bomb happened she was with Mac both times?" Angell asked.

"Yes, let's get on with the story"

"_Bet Stella would like you to help her down one of these," Kelly told Flack._

"What's with all the Stella jokes? I know Danny. We'll stop interrupting," Stella told him.

"_Probably," Mac said._

"_Sarcasm? From you, Mac? You have been hanging out with Kelly way too much," Flack replied._

"_You have no idea," Kelly said under her breath. Flack didn't hear her. Mac went ahead of her. They continued down the fire escape. They stopped at the end because the ladder didn't go all the way to the ground._

"_I say we jump," Kelly told them. Mac and Flack looked at her._

"_How about we climb down and jump," Flack said which was the more reasonable option. He climbed down first. Mac climbed second. Kelly got to the last step and slipped. Luckily, Mac caught her._

"That's too convenient. Like he would actually be there to catch her," Angell protested.

"Someone's been watching too many chick flicks," Hawkes laughed.

"It's my story. Just let me finish it," Danny was getting angry, and he also was getting a little drunk.

"_Nice catch," Flack replied._

"That is the cheesiest line ever. I would never say that," Flack said finishing his beer.

"Just shut up!"

"_That was a good catch," Kelly said putting her arms around Mac forgetting where she was. Flack was surprised at this._

"Well, heck yes, I would be surprised. It's Kelly and Mac," Flack said laughing. Stella and Hawkes were also laughing.

"_Thank you," Mac said winking. Kelly kissed him. Flack was shocked especially when Mac kissed her back._

"_Ummm," Flack started obviously embarrassed. Kelly and Mac broke apart._

"I still can't see that happening, but thanks for story time," Hawkes told Danny. Kelly came into Sullivan's.

"Sorry, I had to stay late," she explained.

"With Mac?" Flack joked.

"Yeah, I had to get him to sign something," she said confused. Everyone started laughing. Kelly rolled her eyes. She didn't want to know what thoughts they were thinking.

"I'm glad you came," Hawkes stood up and pulled out a chair for her.

"So what did I miss?" she asked.

"Just having fun," Flack said.

"And I thought that this was going to be vague," she answered sarcastically.

"Do you really carry a knife with you?" Danny blurted out. Kelly laughed.

"Yeah, it was my brother's," she told him as she took it out for the others to see.

"Nice," Danny looked at it. Mac walked in.

"Sorry, Kelly was taking forever with the paperwork," Mac explained. Kelly rolled her eyes and made an obscene hand gesture under the table.

"Okay, you two stop fighting," Angell said. An awkward silence came over them.

"Kelly, do you want a beer?" Danny asked.

"I don't drink plus I just put in a piece of Stride gum. The flavor never stops lasting," Kelly said.

"So what did I miss?" Mac asked.

"Apparently, fun," Kelly said.

"This is random for you two, but it has to do with what we were talking about. Mac and Kelly I would give you both forty dollars to kiss," Danny told them. Kelly and Mac just gave him a look to kill.

"What kind of conversation were you having?!" Kelly asked alarmed.

"I would give thirty to each of you," Flack said.

"Forty-five," Lindsay got her purse out.

"Thirty-five," Angell said.

"Fifty," Hawkes said which caused everyone to look at him funny. He shrugged.

"Forty," Stella told them.

"Is that each?" Kelly asked curious.

"Yeah"

"That's two hundred and ten dollars each. What are the guidelines?" she asked.

"Someone's eager," Mac pointed out.

"I'm sorry that I don't get paid as much as you. I'm a lowly CSI, and two hundred and ten dollars is a lot of money to me," Kelly told him.

"Fine," Mac hesitantly agreed.

"Twenty seconds and no tongue and obviously on the lips," Danny said. Kelly and Mac reluctantly agreed, but they got forty more dollars each because of the length. So after much hesitating, the two enemies kissed much to the amusement of the others. Danny, Flack, Angell, Lindsay, and surprisingly Stella took pictures as proof of it. Danny was keeping time.

"Alright, it's been twenty seconds," he told them. Kelly and Mac didn't hear. Danny elbowed Flack. They were laughing. Stella and Hawkes were a little shocked that they were still kissing. Hawkes cleared his throat. Kelly and Mac separated. Mac rubbed the back of his neck while Kelly looked away. The others were laughing.

"The money," Kelly demanded. Everyone got into their wallets and paid them.

"Thirty seconds. That's a long time guys," Danny laughed.

"Yeah, Danny hasn't had a relationship that's lasted that long," Lindsay dug. Everyone laughed. Mac was about to take a drink of his beer when he noticed something. He took the piece of gum out of his mouth.

"Kelly, you were right. Your Stride gum doesn't lose its flavor," Mac said putting the piece of chewing gum back in his mouth. Danny and Flack looked at each other.

"Oh my gosh," Danny started cracking up.

"And that was my last piece too," Kelly said. She sat back down next to Hawkes and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I have to say that Mac is a better kisser than I thought," Kelly told the others.

"Thanks?" Mac said not entirely confident that that was the thing to say in that situation.

**After Notes: I hope you liked that little What If one. It takes place a few months after The One With The Suspension. I will give the credit of the gum line to CSIMiami17 and the credit of the longer kiss to Sarryb. Here's the part where I ask you to please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: Lyric Mania, lily moonlight, EverythingIsConnected, au004, Blue Shadowdancer, and CSIMiami17! They are so cool. Hope you have a great day! :D**


	25. The One After Mac and Kelly Kiss

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. They really ought to be together. The chemistry is there. Just a little kiss. Come on, CBS.**

**Notes: So that last one was fun to write and according to the responses I got very funny. I should probably write how awkward this will be for Mac and Kelly. I do have to put some SMacked in. It's mandatory. Also, lily moonlight asked for some SMacked. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One After Mac And Kelly Kiss**

"This is why I don't drink. I like to avoid these types of situations," Kelly told the group. She then added to Mac, "You owe me a piece of gum."

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes.

"I still can't believe that you two kissed and longer than twenty seconds at that," Danny laughed. Mac and Kelly glared.

"What were y'all talking about before we came in? Why were y'all laughing when I said that I had to stay with Mac?" Kelly asked. Mac looked confused.

"Not with me like that," he said.

"Well, obviously," Kelly answered. Mac rolled his eyes again.

"Danny, you have officially succeeded and made matters worse. I swear if you two don't stop fighting, we will send you back to counseling," Stella threatened. Everyone but Mac and Kelly laughed. They glared at each other.

…………………………………………………

"Should I be concerned?" Hawkes asked as he opened the door to their apartment. Kelly looked at him and smiled impishly.

"I'm sorry. I must be at the wrong apartment. I thought this was my boyfriend's place," she told him. He looked embarrassed for asking that.

"You're right," he sighed.

"Were you jealous of Mac?" she asked laughing.

"No, not at all," Hawkes said lying.

"You were so jea-" Kelly stopped as Hawkes leaned in and kissed her.

"I love you too," he told her.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" she asked.

"What do you want to watch?" he rebounded.

"Whatever you want. I can't choose," she told him as she shut the door.

"No chick flicks," he chuckled.

"Good"

"How about _Indiana Jones_?" he asked in a joking matter.

"Which one?" she got the three DVD's out.

"How about _The Raiders of the Lost Ark_?"

"Awesome"

………………………………………….

"I can't believe you took a picture of that," Mac told her as flabbergasted as he was.

"Surprise," she told him. He smiled.

"Tomorrow's going to be fun," he replied wryly.

"Just forget about it," Stella said as she sat down on his couch.

"Want something to drink?" Mac asked from his kitchen.

"Mac, we just came from a bar. No, but thank you," he sat down next to her on the couch and put his arm around her.

………………………………………….

"Kelly, get your kit," Mac told her.

"Where's our scene?" she asked.

"Your scene is at 6th and 37th," he told her. She smiled.

"Awesome. I could so kiss you right now, but seeing as we already have," Kelly replied. Mac turned red as she caused him to do on many occasions.

"Just go," he ordered earning him a mock salute from her. He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"You and Kelly kissed?" Adam asked laughing.

"None of your business," Mac left the room to go to his own scene with Stella.

……………………………………….

"Don't say anything, Flack," were the first words Kelly told the detective.

"Wasn't going to. After all a picture is worth a thousand words," he told her showing the picture of Mac and her kissing. He put it as the background on his phone.

"What are you like twelve?" she asked.

"At least, I didn't kiss my boss," he told her smugly.

"Seeing as your boss is a guy, that would be weird, and I'm not even going to go there," she walked under the crime tape. Flack was annoyed but followed her to the body.

"What do we have?" she asked. From then on it was only work.

…………………………………………

"I'm pretty sure that you guys are out to get me or is it just my imagination?" Mac asked Stella.

"It might be a little of both," Stella looked at the lab. Adam was talking with Kendall. When Mac looked over at them, they were suddenly busy.

"Let's get to the scene," he led her out of his office.

…………………………………………….

"Thank goodness. We don't have Flack," Mac breathed a sigh of relief.

"I doubt Angell will torture you, but if we have Angell, then Kelly has Flack," Stella laughed.

"I think she can handle herself with Flack," Mac knelt down beside the body. Stella joined him.

"Angell, what do we have?" Stella asked.

……………………………………………

"Shut up, Flack! Yes, I kissed Mac!" Kelly was getting close to a breaking point which would include breaking Flack's nose. She hadn't realized that she had yelled that to the entire lab. The entire lab just looked at her. Some of the techs started cracking up. Kelly blushed. It hadn't come out right. Why did everyone annoy her about stuff like that?

"Are you blushing? As in that kiss actually meant something?" Flack asked getting under her skin.

"Yes, that's it," she answered sarcasm ringing in her every word.

"I'm serious. What is going on between you and Mac?" he asked

"Are you implying that I'm cheating on Hawkes?" she asked outraged.

"No, I'm implying that you two fight a lot," he answered.

"Mac knows something he shouldn't. Something that hurt me and broke my heart now for a second time. If he hadn't brought it up in that hell hole, then I wouldn't have a problem with him right now," Kelly finally let some of her anger go.

"I didn't know," Flack sighed.

"Yeah, well I recommend that you do before you imply something that you have no idea about," she shoved him as hard as she could away from her, "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some work to do."

"Sorry"

……………………………………….

"Did Kelly just push Flack?" Stella asked.

"Good for her," Mac didn't care. He had the case laid out over his desk.

……………………………………..

"Alright, Mac, what is going on between you and Kelly?" Flack asked.

"I said something, and she over reacted," Mac answered.

"According to her you hurt her and broke her heart when you said that. I don't know exactly what she meant by that. What did you say?" Flack asked, but Mac had already left him standing there. He was mad at himself and Kelly. He walked over to her.

"Do you not have the guts to talk to me, or do you just like to send Flack on little errands?" Mac spat.

"Mac, I didn't ask him to do anything, and I think I have the guts to talk to you. I've been suspended for that, or do you not remember?" she asked.

"I remember. What is up with what I said? I remember you over reacting," he said spiteful.

"Over reacting? You say that I am over reacting! Mac, you are probably the most oblivious person on this earth! No, make that the most stupid or idiotic person! Listen to us! We are fighting like a married couple," Kelly ended her little rant giggling. It was funny when she thought about this. Now, she couldn't stop laughing.

"Look, if you had a problem, why didn't you tell me that?" he asked.

"I don't like going into my past, but you already did that. Now, if you would excuse me, I have some DNA to run"

**After Notes: This is shorter than the past two. It's not short so to speak. I hope you liked it. Please review! :D I would like to thank my reviewers: Blue Shadowdancer, lily moonlight, GregRox, EverythingIsConnected, au004, and luf100! They rock this awesome boat! Hope you have a great day! :D**


	26. The One With The Coffee

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I've been told that I need to go into Kelly's past. I have a plan of bringing it out. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Coffee**

"Kelly, we need to talk," that was a phrase she had heard a lot especially from Mac.

"I know. I almost have this case closed," she explained.

"That's not what I'm trying to say," again a phrase Kelly had heard many, many times from Mac. It was getting old.

"Okay," she replied. Mac sighed.

"After shift," he told her.

"Alright, I know just the place," she consented.

…………………………………….

"Kelly, do you want to go to Sullivan's after shift? The game's on," Danny asked. Kelly usually watched the games with the guys. The Rangers, her favorite baseball team, was playing. They were actually having a great season.

"Sorry, I have plans," she replied.

"You have other friends?" Danny joked.

"Yeah, weird, isn't it?" she laughed.

"Who are your plans with?" he asked.

"Nosy, much? I just have plans," she told him.

"Fine, I'll tell you the score tomorrow," Danny left the break room. Kelly groaned. She wished she would see the Rangers play, but she liked to keep her word. She also wanted to end this with Mac. This was starting to sound like a break up. That thought made her laugh. She left to go to DNA. She wanted to see if she could send the suspect away for life.

…………………………………………..

"Alright, do you want to be down here for this?" Flack asked Kelly on the phone.

"No, shift's almost over. I have plans," she replied.

"With Hawkes?" he asked.

"No," she told him.

"With a guy?" he asked.

"Yes"

"And you expect me to believe that you aren't cheating on Hawkes?" Flack asked joking.

"Don't joke about that. If I was cheating on him, and I'm not, I wouldn't just shout out that I have plans with a guy," she hung up.

"Don't have to be rude," Flack mumbled even though he wasn't talking to her. He went on to interrogation.

……………………………………………

"I'll stop by at Sullivan's if I have time," Kelly told Danny when she got her coat.

"Okay, should I order you a beer?" he asked.

"No, I don't drink, remember?" she questioned.

"Yeah, I remember"

………………………………………….

"Okay, you wanted to talk," Kelly got her coffee from a friendly vendor. She paid as she handed the other drink she got to Mac.

"We need to sort this out," Mac told her. "Do you want to sit or stand and talk?"

"There is a reason that we are next to Central Park. Let's walk," Kelly told him. The sun was setting. The air was cooling.

"I don't get you," he shook his head.

"It's a Texas thing. I guess it's a Montana thing too because Lindsay does this. She walks in the rain though. I don't get that," Kelly told him.

"Talk," he said.

"To think they said I needed counseling. I never thought of talking" she said sarcastically.

"You do need counseling," Mac sighed.

"I'm talking to you. Does that count?" she asked.

"Just talk," he said again.

"Alright, I guess I should tell you that I had just come home for Thanksgiving. Eight hours from Kansas State. It's where my dad went to school and his dad and my brothers," she started.

"You were twenty two or twenty three?" Mac asked.

"Twenty two, though if you ask what my age is again, I might slap you," she joked.

"You don't care," he replied.

"You're right. I turn thirty-three in three months," Kelly told him. Mac stopped a moment then kept walking with her.

"Keep going," he told her.

"I was sleeping on the couch in my brother's room that night. It was… uh… six that morning when I woke up to the shooting," she said tears filling her eyes. It was getting harder.

………………………………………….

"Kelly, you missed the game," Danny told her.

"Yeah, I know," she sighed. She hadn't gotten very far into the story. Mac and she were going to have coffee again and just talk.

"They won, you know," he went on and on about the game.

"Yeah, that's great Danny," she told him.

"You going to watch the Yankee game with us?" he asked.

"No, I have plans," she told him.

"Again?" Danny wondered. Kelly never passed up opportunities to watch a baseball game.

"Yes"

"With who?"

"A guy," she told him.

"That's comforting," Danny replied sarcastically.

…………………………………………..

"Why are you doing this, Mac?" Kelly asked when she got her coffee.

"Closure," he replied.

"Or you can't stand not knowing the entire story?" she mumbled.

"What was that?" Mac asked.

"Nothing," Kelly told him.

"Can you start where you left off?" he inquired.

"What is it about my life that is so interesting?" she asked.

"I just want to know what happened to you," Mac replied.

"I was sarcastic before," she told him.

"Sure"

"Okay, I came downstairs after I heard the gun fire. I saw… my brother, Jonathon, in a pool of blood and… my parents were struggling on the ground. Then, I saw… Kevin being held at gun point," Kelly had tears running down her cheeks. She was talking slowly as crying slowed her breathing down. She had made a statement to the police, but she never told anyone else what happened. Mac had never seen her break down like that. He froze.

"Here, let's just walk"

………………………………………..

"Three days in a row," Danny groaned. Kelly was almost sick of him. She had been trying to keep her cool. It would be even more awkward if she talked with Mac if she was on a suspension as if it wasn't weird enough.

"I know. You have other friends to hang out with, don't you?" Kelly asked him dryly.

"Funny. I thought that you liked hanging with Flack and I," he rebutted.

"I do. I just have plans," she told him.

"With the same guy?" Danny wondered.

"Yes," Kelly replied. Danny gave her a questioning look.

"We have a case," Danny told her.

………………………………………

"Well, we know why he died," Danny said looking at the victim.

"So the entire city is a suspect," Kelly breathed.

"Dang Red Sox fan," Danny said under his breath.

……………………………………………

"Alright, Kelly, here you go," Mac handed her a coffee and also let her pay.

"Thanks, Mac," she said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Cynicism," Mac told her.

"I'm sorry?" Kelly was confused.

"What happened, I mean. Is that why you are so cynical?" Mac asked.

"I don't know," she replied.

"I was wondering. Who's Kevin?" he wondered out loud.

"My twin brother. We were close. It's his knife I carry," she told him.

"Who was it who had him at gun point?" Mac questioned. He had to slow down. This was running a fine line turning this from a talk to an interrogation.

"I later found out that his name was Brian Kent," she sighed. It was like she was reliving watching her family die in slow motion. The sun had set. Neither wanted to walk through Central Park that night. Kelly called herself a taxi. Mac said he would get his own. Kelly sat in the taxi staring blankly outside. Her cell phone rang.

"Higgins," she said into the phone.

"Kelly, get to the lab," Hawkes told her. He hung up. Kelly told the driver the lab's address. She was wondering what made Hawkes so impatient and frustrated.

………………………………………….

"What's up?" she asked when she found the team in the A/V lab.

"Listen," Stella told her. She played a message. The voice was changed.

"_How much do you want your CSI back?" Click._

"Mac?" she asked.

"It came from his phone," Lindsay told her.

"When?" Kelly questioned. She had just talked to Mac thirty minutes before.

"I got the message twenty minutes ago," Stella said.

"You sure that they are talking about Mac?" Kelly asked immediately realizing how stupid it was to ask that. No one would joke like that.

"We are trying to establish some sort of timeline," Hawkes told her.

"I saw him at the end of shift. He left right afterward," Stella told the others.

"That was the last time I saw him," Hawkes agreed with Stella.

"Where was he?" Danny asked.

"With me," Kelly spoke up finally.

**After Notes: I hope you liked that, and that it made sense. It isn't as funny. It's more of a serious one. I hope you noticed the 333 thing I put in there. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: iluvthejoebros, GregRox, luf100, CSIMiami17, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, and Blue Shadowdancer! You guys rock the boat! I hope you all had a great day! :D**


	27. The One With The Break and Breakdowns

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I see drama ahead. What will the team think of Kelly being the last to see Mac since the two haven't been fighting recently? Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Break and Breakdowns**

"I'm sorry? Did I hear you right?" Danny asked in a humorous way.

"Like as in Mac is the guy you've had plans with for the past two, well now, three nights?" Flack questioned. Hawkes looked at her. She had turned him down for Mac. That thought sounded so weird to him.

"We were talking, _only_ talking," she exaggerated the only for Flack and Danny.

"About what?" Lindsay asked.

"It's not important right now," Kelly told them.

"She's right. When did you see him last?" Stella asked. Kelly looked at her watch.

"Thirty-five minutes ago. I got a cab, and fifteen minutes later Hawkes called me. He insisted that he could get his own cab. I offered to wait. I was so close," Kelly mumbled the last bit. She felt partly responsible. She knew that none of them believed her about the talking thing. Actually, Stella believed her. What hurt Kelly most was that she could see in Hawkes' eyes that he didn't believe her. He didn't trust her.

"Where did you get the cab?" Flack asked.

"6th and either 14th or 15th," Kelly answered a feeling of utter sadness and anger filling her heart. She wanted to look to Hawkes for comfort, but she knew she wouldn't find any. Stella, Lindsay, and Adam began working on a map of circling all of the possible places Mac could have been abducted. Kelly stared blankly feeling helpless.

"Kelly, can I talk to you?" Hawkes' warm friendly personality was no longer there. His words were cold and harsh. Kelly sighed.

"Yeah, break room, come on," she walked out of the room.

"I don't know what to say," he started.

"You don't have to say anything. I know that you don't believe me. I've given you no reason not to trust me," Kelly told him. She felt some of the anger and sadness in her heart rising the sound level of her voice.

"You don't tell me what you are doing," Hawkes matched the volume.

"Did you ever think that it's personal?" Kelly yelled her anger channeled at Hawkes.

"You trusted Mac over me?" Hawkes said quietly, embarrassed that she wouldn't be able to trust him.

"Maybe I don't want your pity. He already knew something. Hawkes, what's wrong? Why don't you trust me?" she was pleading now. She didn't want to cry again. Their relationship was the best thing that had ever happened to her since her family was murdered.

"You could have told me. I would have trusted you if you had told me," Hawkes found his voice rising again.

"I don't have to tell you everything, Hawkes," she replied yelling.

"You should've just told me. I tell you things," he shouted defensively.

"We're different. If you can't get that, this isn't going to work. Maybe we should take a break," she bellowed even though she didn't mean to. She had tears in her eyes. What was happening to her? It seemed like everything was closing in on her.

"Maybe we should," Hawkes stormed out of the break room. Kelly was frozen where she was standing. She finally walked away to the locker room. She went to her locker and opened it just so she could slam it. Kelly turned around and sat with her back against her locker. She pulled her knees up to her chest and cried. In the past, she would have never lost herself like that. With her boss and now confidante missing and Hawkes and she on a break, she didn't know how to react.

……………………………………………

"Do you hear that?" Lindsay asked.

"Sounds like cats fighting," Danny laughed.

"That's Kelly and Hawkes fighting. I've never heard them fight before," Flack said.

"Can we pay attention to the task at hand?" Stella asked. The world was spinning fast. She couldn't believe that Mac was missing.

…………………………………………….

"You guys have anything?" Kelly asked coming in. Her eyes were red. Hawkes wouldn't look at her.

"We have Flack, Stella, and Lindsay out trying to find the primary crime scene," Adam said.

"Great," Kelly told him sarcastically.

"You can tell Mac all about it," Hawkes told her angrily.

"I'm surprised that you would trust me with that information. Wait, that would be too much for you to do," Kelly replied.

"I wasn't the one who decided to go on a break," Hawkes started defensively.

"Welcome, to your first relationship fight," Danny mumbled to Adam.

"We have a job to do, Hawkes," Kelly said frustrated.

"Didn't stop you before," Hawkes glared. Things were really messed up at the lab.

……………………………………………

"Sorry, I took a while. You told Hawkes to tell me so that went well," Kelly told them when she got to the primary crime scene.

"Is this where you got your cab?" Flack asked. Kelly looked. It was midnight. She looked at the park. She remembered seeing a similar fire hydrant when she called the cab. She remembered because she tripped over it in the dark. She smiled. Tripping was better than anything going on in her life then.

"Yeah, Mac went off that way," she pointed north.

"Stella found blood by that tree. We think that's where Mac, well, we don't know what happened to him," Lindsay told her. Kelly looked at the tree and where she got the cab. It was twenty meters at most. She really felt like she was in some sad song. Actually, she had _Over My Head (Cable Car)_ by _The Fray_ stuck in her head. The chorus played over and over in her head like it was mocking her and her decisions and her life.

"Kelly, are you still with us?" Stella asked. Stella was on the verge of a breakdown. She was trying to keep the team together. It was hard to do. Danny and Lindsay were doing better those days, but then Kelly and Hawkes, who were very close, were on a break. Mac was so much better at those things. She was still having trouble believing that he wasn't there. It took all she could to not go into the locker room and cry. Kelly had already done that but for different reasons.

"I feel that this is my fault," she wasn't just talking about Mac disappearing.

"Kelly, please take whatever is happening between you and Hawkes out of this," Stella told her.

"You think that you are the only one who wants him back," Kelly mumbled angrily. Stella gave a look, but decided not to think too hard about it. Everyone was on thin ice.

…………………………………………….

"_I have no problem sharing a cab, Mac," Kelly told him._

"_No, I'll get my own. I guess I'm going to take one of those Texas walks or whatever they are," he told her._

"_Night, Mac," Kelly told him._

"_Night," he told her as she got into the cab. He heard her give Hawkes' address and smiled. He walked off with his hands in his pockets. This Texas walk thing isn't half bad, he decided. Mac walked on. Two figures walked silence, one on either side. He didn't think much of them. _

"_Detective Taylor," one of them said._

"_Yes?" the man punched Mac as hard as he could in the stomach causing Mac to double over coughing blood. The other put a cloth to Mac's mouth, and he saw no more._

Mac opened his eyes. This abduction thing was becoming way too familiar to him. He couldn't see anything. It was midnight, and the place he was being kept in was pitch black. He could imagine Stella waiting for him for dinner. He could imagine Danny and Flack watching a game at Sullivan's while Danny complained about not being with Lindsay. Kelly and Hawkes were probably watching a movie. At least, they were enjoying themselves, Mac thought. Mac breathed deeply. The air was damp and cool. He had to be near the docks. He closed his eyes again hoping that this was just a dream. He should've taken that cab with Kelly. He should've done a lot of things that he hadn't. He wished he knew the whole story with Kelly. He wished that they didn't fight, and he wished he was with Stella. He drifted to sleep unaware that the team was looking for him.

………………………………………….

"Stella, why don't you get some sleep?" Kelly suggested knowing full well that Stella would do no such thing.

"I… uh… am," Stella stopped there because she wasn't making any sense.

"Well, I'm going to the bodega. I'm getting an energy drink. Do you three want anything?" Kelly asked. They declined. Kelly walked to the bodega after leaving her kit with them. She needed to think. It was chilly. The weather was perfect for the situation. She had to think through her feelings for Mac. It was love, but like she loved her brother. She had to find him. She had lost two brothers. She wasn't going to lose him. He honestly cared for her like a family member. Of course, he was also the reason Hawkes and her were on a break. She felt like she had heard that before somewhere, but she couldn't remember where. Yet, she needed him. He listened to her. She could trust him. Plus, she wanted to tell someone what happened that day. She wasn't going to tell Hawkes. She didn't want him pitying her. After her family died, everyone babied her, and it annoyed the heck out of her. Mac hadn't pitied her. He listened. Her brother, Kevin, did the same. She missed him. Her cell phone rang. It was Danny.

"Higgins," she answered.

"Kelly, where are you?" Danny asked.

"At the bodega. I'm getting something to keep me up," Kelly replied.

"Okay, Hawkes is annoying me. I was thinking you-" Danny stopped because Kelly hung up. She walked to the bodega and bought an Amp.

"Thanks," she told the store clerk as she walked out. She opened the can and heard a familiar fizzing noise. It was comforting. At least the carbon dioxide in the energy drink could work right. She walked the rest of the way to the lab. It took her a few hours, but she didn't go for a cab. She had finished her energy drink, and it wasn't doing anything for her. Everyone was practically zombies when she got back. Hawkes looked almost worried when she showed up. She gave him a look that said that he gave up any right to care or love her when he didn't trust her. When he didn't trust her, he didn't trust Mac.

"Where have you been?" Hawkes asked angrily. Kelly seethed.

"What does it matter to you? You wouldn't believe me anyway," she told him spitefully. Hawkes rolled his eyes.

"It was your idea to go on a break," he told her.

"It was your idea to not trust me," she glared.

"It was my idea to tell you two to shut up!" Danny said angrily.

"We have a lead," Stella said.

"We found a fiber. It had a salty residue on it, and chloroform which explains why Mac didn't give more of a fight," Lindsay told Kelly.

"The docks," Kelly breathed.

"There are hundred docks. How do we narrow that down?" Danny asked.

**After Notes: I hope that was a cliffhanger. I didn't mean to have Hawkes and Kelly take a break. Honest, I didn't. :D Mac's still missing. They are going to have a hard time finding him. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, Lyric Mania, lily moonlight, GregRox, EverythingIsConnected, au004, Blue Shadowdancer, CSIMiami17, and cherryspark101! You guys are so cool! Hope you all had a great day! :D**


	28. The One With The Tension

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Drama! Welcome to my world. My class has a lot of drama. I hope you all like this one. I'm trying something new. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Tension**

……………………………………………………………

_This town is colder now, I think it's sick of us  
__It's time to make our move, I'm shaking off the rust  
__I've got my heart set on anywhere but here  
__I'm staring down myself, counting up the years_

_Steady hands just take the wheel  
__Ever glance is killing me  
__Time to make one last appeal  
__For the life I lead_

_Stop and stare  
__I think I'm moving, but I go nowhere  
__Yeah, I know that everyone gets scared  
__But I've become what I can't be, oh_

_Stop and Stare  
__You start to wonder why you're here not there  
__And you'd give anything to get what's fair  
__But fair ain't what you really need  
__Oh, can you see what I see?_

_They're trying to come back, all my senses push  
__Untie the weight bags, I never thought I could  
__Steady feet, don't fail me now  
__I will run till you can't walk  
__Something pulls my focus out  
__And I'm standing down_

_Stop and stare  
__I think I'm moving, but I go nowhere  
__Yeah, I know that everyone gets scared  
__But I've become what I can't be, oh_

_Stop and stare  
__You start to wonder why you're here not there  
__And you'd give anything to get what's fair  
__But fair ain't what you really need  
__Oh, you don't need_

_What you need, what you need  
__What you need_

_Stop and stare  
__I think I'm moving, but I go nowhere  
__Yeah, I know that everyone gets scared  
__I've become what I can't be  
__Oh, do you see what I see?_

……………………………………………………………………

"Mac's phone?" Kelly suggested. She realized that of course they had tried that. Nothing she was going to bring then was an original idea.

"We tried. It's of-" Stella stopped. Her phone was ringing. It was 'Mac.' She put it on speaker.

"_So you know he's at the docks. Congratulations. Why don't you try 1467 Durango Road?" Click._

"We might as well," Hawkes said. Kelly was mad at him but knew he was right. This guy wanted them to find Mac. He wanted something.

"Flack," Stella told the detective.

"Alright, Kells, come with me," Flack turned to walk off. Kelly followed.

"Why me?" Kelly asked.

"Need to get you and Hawkes away from each other," Flack replied. Kelly nodded. They walked in silence, haunted by being one step behind this guy.

"How did that guy know that we knew that Mac was at the docks?" she asked concerned. Was there a mole in the lab?

"I don't know. Ever been to the docks?" Flack asked.

"Once, with Hawkes," she told him. The conversation changed. It had to. This situation with Mac and now Kelly and Hawkes was slowly tearing the team apart. It had to stop.

………………………………………

_Oh brother I can't, I can't get through  
__I've been trying hard to reach you 'cause I don't know what to do  
__Oh brother I can't believe it's true  
__I'm so scared about the future and I wanna talk to you  
__Oh I wanna talk to you_

………………………………………..

Mac was shaken awake. He felt the barrel of a gun against the bottom of his skull. Why was this abduction feeling becoming almost comforting to him? He breathed in and out feeling the guy pushing the barrel harder against his head. Why did he have the sudden image of Sid performing an autopsy on him? It made him want to laugh. He could only imagine what Sid would say. What the team would say.

"Walk," a gruff voice ordered. He had no choice. His hands were bound behind him. The twine used was burrowing in his skin. He saw that it was morning now. He heard sirens in the distance. Maybe it was Flack or Stella. They had to know that he was missing by now. Kelly was probably making several sarcastic remarks to Danny. Hawkes was probably laughing. Lindsay and Danny were probably flirting knowing full well that they were stuck in limbo. Stella was probably being annoyed by the team. Heck, the team always annoyed him. Mac was shoved into a black Lincoln Navigator. He heard a car drive near the warehouse and stop. He heard two doors slam. His door slammed. The window was tinted so he couldn't see much.

"Flack, here it is," Kelly yelled above the noise of the ocean. Mac sighed inwardly. He knew they were looking for him, but they were too late. The SUV drove off. He saw the two detectives coming closer. What was this driver getting at? Was he trying to kill them?

"Kelly, move!" Flack half tackled her to the ground away from the Navigator. They rolled into a pile of garbage. Neither cared about that at that moment. They only cared about finding Mac.

"Mac!" she yelled when she got up. She took a mental picture of the car and the license plate.

"Do you think he was in that car?" Flack asked.

"I'm sure of it. Let's see if there's anything left in the warehouse," Kelly picked her kit up off the ground. They walked into the seemingly empty warehouse. Kelly took out her ALS light. She handed a pair of the glasses to Flack so he could spot things also. They walked in silence as Kelly scanned the floor with the light.

"There," Flack pointed to where she had just flashed the light. There was a stain. It looked as if someone had cleaned something up. Kelly took a swab and rubbed it on the stain. She sprayed it, and the swab turned purple. Blood. Mac's blood.

"Blood," she sighed. She called Stella.

"We have blood, and a vehicle tried to kill Flack and I. We have the license plate number. It's 357 Charlie Normandy Charlie," Kelly told her. "It's a black Lincoln Navigator so at least these guys have style."

………………………………………………..

_You could take a picture of something you see  
__In the future where will I be?  
__You could climb a ladder up to the sun  
__Or write a song nobody had sung  
__Or do something that's never been done_

…………………………………………………..

"Adam, run this plate," Stella handed him the paper with the information on it. Adam typed the plate in. The owner was a Michael Samuelson. The plates matched the description of the car. It finally looked like they had a good lead. Stella called Flack.

"Yeah, we will go pick this guy up," Flack told her as Kelly mouthed that she was done. They had found a few fibers, but that was it. Paucity was the worry here. How could they clean up so well? Locard had once said that whenever you enter a room you take part of the room with you, and you leave part of you behind in that room. Something wasn't right about this. More than Mac missing. There was something eerie going on.

………………………………………………..

_Are you lost or incomplete?  
__Do you feel like a puzzle, you can't find your missing piece?  
__Tell me how you feel  
__Well I like they're talking in a language I don't speak  
__And they're talking it to me_

………………………………………………..

"NYPD!" Flack yelled. "Gotta love saying that."

"Yeah," Kelly drew her gun. Flack kicked in the door. Kelly went in first.

"And they say chivalry is dead," Kelly mumbled. Michael Samuelson was listening to music and playing darts.

"Michael Samuelson," Flack yelled. The man turned around coming face to face with Kelly and Flack with their guns pointed at him.

"Yeah?" he took out his headphones.

"You're under arrest," Flack put his gun in its holster and handcuffed Mr. Samuelson. Kelly kept her gun drawn. She wanted to shoot this guy. She wanted to be the one who ended this guy's life. It was more than finding Mac. It was getting over her past.

……………………………………………..

_So you take a picture of something you see  
__In the future where will I be?  
__You could climb a ladder up to the sun  
__Or write a song nobody had sung  
__Or do something that's never been done  
__Or do something that's never been done_

……………………………………………….

"I'll take interrogation," Kelly told them. No one argued with her. Flack decided to partner up with her. They were a good team. Both were on an anger high after the car incident so they knew they were going to get something out of Michael.

……………………………………………………..

_So you don't know where you're going and you wanna talk  
__And you feel like you're going where you've been before  
__You'll tell anyone who'll listen but you feel ignored  
__Nothing's really making sense at all_

………………………………………………………

"We found your car," Flack said. It's true they had found it, but it was still in use. The funny thing was that the car had enough of a head start to get to Michael's place and get away without being seen by Flack or Kelly.

"Great, I wasn't looking for it," he told them not realizing that this would get a convention.

"I'm going to cut to the chase. Just tell us where he is," Kelly spat. She was leaning over her side of the table. She had a glint in her eyes that she only saved for Hawkes at that time and mostly Mac. This glint was rage fueled though. It was a look that scared any and every man she'd met.

"I don't know who you are talking about," Michael replied trying to act like he knew nothing.

"You're an idiot. You led us right to you. You are going to tell us where Detective Taylor is," Flack told the suspect.

"I don't know a Detective Taylor"

"Cut the crap! Tell us where he is!" Kelly yelled. Her anger echoed in the room. She wanted to drive her fist into this guy's head. She knew Flack was wanting to do the same.

"Alright"

"Where is he?"

"Probably dead by now, honey"

"Shut up!" Flack was now up. The suspect was against the wall. Kelly and Flack were up in his face.

"Where is he?" Kelly again asked enraged. She didn't care what this guy said to her. They had to find Mac. Her arm was starting to 'accidently' cut this guy's breathing off. Flack did nothing to intervene. His arm would have been at this guy's throat if Kelly's wasn't there at that time.

"27th and 7th in a shop called Noticeable Remains. He's in the garage behind it," Michael admitted gasping for air.

"We're going to check. If he's not there, I will come back and finish what I started," Kelly told him quietly so the camera in the room couldn't pick it up. Flack said nothing to counter her. He wouldn't have. He would be the one with her killing this guy. Mac was someone they looked up to. They weren't about to lose him.

………………………………………………..

_Let's talk, let's talk  
__Let's talk, let's talk_

…………………………………………………

"NYPD!" Flack yelled when they got to the garage. He had his gun drawn as did Stella and Kelly. He kicked in the door before Kelly got the chance to. She gave Flack a look, but went into the room anyway. Mac was there much to the relief of them, but he was being held at gun point. What other predicament were they expecting to find him in?

"Drop your weapons or I'll shoot him," the rough voice told them. Flack and Stella lowered theirs as an attempt to save their friend, but Kelly didn't. Kelly wasn't following the plan. She never intended to. She stood intensely focusing on the guy holding a gun at Mac's head. She wasn't playing a game of Chicken. This was real. She was on an emotional high. Kelly had so much pain and anger channeled in this moment. Her arms or hands weren't shaking. She stood perfectly still breathing steadily. This was one gun fight she refused to lose. Her eyes were almost as sharp as knives. Had she no gun, they would have been adequate weapons. Time stood still for her. She had already made her decision. Now, she had to face the reaction. A sudden thought of Newton's third law. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. What would be the opposite reaction to her action? What would be the consequences?

"No," Kelly refused. Mac's heart skipped a beat. What was she playing at? Time stood still. Mac felt like he was the only one moving in a frozen world. He looked around at Flack and Stella. Shock. Confusion. Anger. He turned to Kelly. Determination. Fury. Deep down there was hurt in her eyes. It was something that you would never see unless you looked into her eyes for a long time. He wondered if Hawkes had seen that in her. He wondered why Kelly never told Hawkes anything about her past. About her family. About her brother. About herself. He wondered if Hawkes really even knew how sad Kelly was. That she had been hurt. That she used humor as a defense mechanism. Even though all of the things added up, her refusal didn't. He again asked himself what she was playing at. Why was he suddenly so concerned about her? He didn't want to like her or feel sorry for her. She certainly hated people feeling sorry. She was intriguing him. What made her like this? Why did he feel that it had something to do with her brother, Kevin? Why did he think that now she was trying to right a wrong?

………………………………………………………

_I never knew  
__I never knew that everything was falling through  
__That everyone I knew was waiting on a cue  
__To turn and run when all I needed was the truth  
__But that's how it's got to be  
__It's coming down to nothing more than apathy  
__I'd rather run the other way than stay and see  
__The smoke and who's still standing when it clears  
_

_Everyone knows I'm in  
__Over my head  
__Eight seconds left in overtime  
__She's on your mind_

_Let's rearrange  
__I wish you were a stranger I could disengage  
__Just say that we agree and then never change  
__Soften a bit until we all just get along  
__But that's disregard  
__Find another friend and you discard  
__As you lose the argument in the cable car  
__Hanging above as the canyon comes between_

_Everyone knows I'm in  
__Over my head  
__Eight seconds left in overtime  
__She's on your mind_

_And suddenly I become a part of your past  
__I'm becoming the part that don't last  
__I'm losing you and it's effortless  
__Without a sound we lose sight of the ground  
__In the throw around  
__Never thought that you wanted to bring it down  
__I won't let it go down till we torch it ourselves_

_Everyone knows I'm in  
__Over my head  
__Eight seconds left in overtime  
__She's on your mind_

……………………………………………….

**After Notes: Cliffhanger! Will Mac survive? Will Kelly and Hawkes get back together? Tune in next time for the resolution of the cliffhanger! I thought the songs fit all of the characters, really. The first song is **_**Stop and Stare**_** by **_**OneRepublic**_**. The song interspersed is **_**Talk **_**by **_**Coldplay**_**. If you don't know what song the third one is, it's **_**Over My Head(Cable Car)**_** by **_**The Fray**_**. Please review!** **I would like to thank my reviewers: Lyric Mania, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Bonasera, and Blue Shadowdancer! They rock. I'm not forgetful. I'm not thanking luf100 and CSIMiami17. They know what they did. Let me state this clearly. Mac belongs to Stella! Hope you all had a great day! :D**


	29. The One With The Resolution

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I have to resolve the cliffhanger. I loved it. I'm going to miss writing it. Now, I have to get my characters out of this one. It's going to be hard. I will do my best. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Resolution**

…………………………………………………

_The faces all around me  
__They don't smile  
__They just crack  
__Waiting for our ship to come  
__But our ship's not coming back  
__We do our time like pennies in a jar  
__What are we saving for?  
__What are we saving for?_

_There's a smell of stale fear  
__And it's drinking from our skins  
__The drinking never stops  
__Because the drinks absolve our sins  
__We sit and throw our roots into the floor  
__What are we waiting for?  
__What are we waiting for?_

_So give me something to believe  
_'_Cause I am living just to breathe  
__And I need something more  
__To keep on breathing for  
__So give me something to believe_

_Something's always coming  
__You can hear it in the ground  
__It swells into the air  
__With the rising  
__Rising sound  
__And never comes  
__But shakes the boards  
__And rattles all the doors  
__What are we waiting for?  
__What are we waiting for?_

_So give me something to believe  
_'_Cause I am living just to breathe  
__And I need something more  
__To keep on breathing for  
__So give me something to believe_

_I am hiding from some beast  
__But the beast was always here  
__Watching without eyes  
__Because the beast is just my fear  
__That I am just nothing  
__Now, that's just what I've become  
__What am I waiting for?  
__It's already done_

_Ohhhhhhh_

_So give me something to believe  
_'_Cause I am living just to breathe  
__And I need something more  
__To keep on breathing for  
__So give me something to believe_

………………………………………………………

What was Kelly thinking? She was always one to take risks, but she was being awfully cavalier with a lot of people's lives. Mac looked at her like she was crazy. She probably was because she no longer saw this as getting Mac back. It was getting Kevin back. She missed him so much, and Kelly felt responsible for his death. It was her fault. She had decided that a long time ago. Stella and Flack didn't move to stop her. They didn't have any control in the situation. When they lowered their guns, they lost any say in what would happen. That was why Kelly never lowered her gun. The suspect saw this as her not losing any power in this. He didn't think she would use it. He saw her as a small helpless woman hiding behind a badge. He was partly right, but she wasn't hiding behind a badge. It was a tough exterior. Though this Texas brunette could through a few punches, and that was something the suspect didn't anticipate.

"You don't want to do this," Kelly told this guy. She was trying to talk down the suspect. If she could get the suspect's attention focused specifically on her, Don and Stella could get around the suspect and surround him. It was getting the suspect to lower his gun that was the main problem. Don knew what Kelly was going to try. He waited for the suspect to answer to move. He gripped his gun tightly as his palms began to sweat more. He needed to wipe his palms, but he couldn't. One wrong move and Mac would be shot. He could see Mac breathing heavily and trying to fight his restraints. He saw Stella out of the corner of his eye make a half movement towards Mac. He gave a look telling her to freeze. She did. They had a new plan now. They had to follow it. What was Kelly thinking?

"Kelly, shut up!" Mac whispered fiercely. What was she doing? She was going to get him killed. However, Mac gave Stella a look to follow Kelly's lead. They had to seem somewhat united. He saw Don move his grip on his gun. He was going to walk around and take the suspect from behind. He looked back at Stella. She was following Flack's lead. He fought once more against his restraints. They cut into his skin causing him to bleed. He heard something break. As long as the suspect focused on Kelly, he could get out of the twine. Slowly pulling his hands apart, Mac freed himself of those restraints. He was still at gunpoint. That was something Kelly, Don, and Stella had to solve.

"I know what I'm doing, Kevin," she replied not realizing that it was Mac she was talking to. Stella and Don gave her a double take. What was she talking about? Mac at once knew what happened at her house ten years before. She had tried to talk down Brian Kent, and her brother ended up dead. She felt responsible. He would never tell her that he figured out what happened. She needed to tell him. She needed to tell someone what happened.

"I think I do want to do this," the gunman told her. He was angry. Not at Mac so to speak. He just wanted someone to pay for what happened. Kelly looked in his eyes. She saw the same thing there that 

Mac saw in hers. She saw the determination, the fury, and the hurt. She then knew how to talk this guy down.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked. Flack took a step to the right. The gunman didn't notice so Don took two more slow yet deliberate steps. He started raising his gun. Five more steps and he could get around this guy.

"Well, Kelly, I want compensation," he used her name. Kelly glared. She didn't like suspects knowing her name. She didn't like strange guys knowing her name either for that matter.

"For what? Mr. um?" she asked. She just had to keep this guy talking. Flack took another cautious step. Stella was frozen until Flack waved her over. She took a step. Mac was just waiting for this guy to make a mistake. It was bound to happen sometime.

"My name's Carl Logan. You guys never solved my brother's murder," he pushed the gun harder into Mac's skull. Stella mistimed and took another step. Carl saw.

"Don't move," he took the gun from Mac's head and pointed it at her. The world froze. He made his mistake. Mac was up and ready to fight for that gun. Kelly rushed forward as Mac tackled Carl. Kelly now had him at gun point. She was breathing faster now. She wanted to shoot. She still saw this Carl Logan as Brian Kent. Don and Stella had made their way over. Stella was helping Mac up off the ground. Flack was placing handcuffs on Carl. Kelly finally snapped back into reality. She holstered her gun. Mac embraced Stella. Kelly smiled and walked away. Flack led Carl beside her. The two of them loaded him into the back seat of the squad car. Everything was happening so fast. Flack put his hand on her shoulder when he saw how dazed she was.

"You did a good thing back there," he told her. Her plan had worked. She wasn't going to lose Mac. He was like a brother to her. Family was the most important thing to her especially after what happened. She wanted to talk to Mac again. None of the pain and hurt had left her. It had only increased. She needed to sort more things out now more than she ever had to.

………………………………………..

"He didn't take any time off?" Kelly asked Stella.

"It's Mac," she answered making Kelly smile.

"Yeah, if it was me, it would be hard to get me back here," she laughed.

"Me too"

……………………………………..

"Kelly," Mac greeted her when she got to the scene. She nodded, but stopped frozen in her tracks when she saw Hawkes processing the body.

"I'm not working this scene with _him_," she told Mac flat out. That may have been a little immature way of dealing with that, but Hawkes had hurt her deeply. She didn't want anything to do with him.

"Kelly, when you're asked to come to a scene, you leave your personal problems out of it," Mac told her blankly. He had no idea why they were fighting. He thought they would want to work a scene together. He probably should have asked Stella what had changed when he was gone. It had only been a day. What could have happened to a couple that had been so close?

"I don't think he would trust me with any of the evidence," Kelly said loud enough for Hawkes to hear. Mac finally got what this was about. Trust. That was a big thing though. Something that couldn't be mended in a day.

"Why don't you just go along and tell Mac everything," Hawkes snarled. Kelly glared. Mac felt a little bad seeing as they were fighting over the talks Kelly and him had and were still having. Kelly hadn't stopped them which was now concerning him.

"I'm sorry, did my back hurt your knife?" Kelly asked. Mac decided it would be best to send one of them to another scene.

"Kelly, can you go to Stella's scene? It's at 5th and 34th," Mac said it as more of an order than a question. Kelly picked up her kit and went to her car.

"What the heck is that about?" Mac angrily asked Hawkes. He was sick of relationship problems tearing the team apart.

………………………………………………..

Lindsay woke up around midnight to a sound of tapping at her window. It wasn't steady. It sounded like rocks. She turned on the light in her apartment and went to her window. She opened it and looked down. Danny was standing on the sidewalk throwing rocks at her window. She laughed. What was he doing?

"Linds, get down here," he called to her. She nodded and changed into a pair of jeans and a tank top. It was humid that night. She put on a pair of tennis shoes and ran down the stairs to him. She had to admit that she still loved him. She would just never admit that out loud.

"Danny?" she asked when she got down. He was behind her holding a rose.

"Behind you," he said holding out the rose for her. She took it blushing.

"I'm sorry, Lindsay. I wish I had never slept with someone else. I just want what we had again," he apologized over and over again. Lindsay smiled.

"I do too, Danny," she told him taking his hand. He was surprised. He was ready to sing, terribly though, to get her to take him back.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Central Park"

"At midnight?"

"You're the one who decided to throw rocks at my window at midnight. Are you scared, Messer?"

"In your dreams, Montana"

"As always"

"You dream about me?"

………………………………………..

"I don't know what I'm doing any more Mac," Kelly told him while they walked through Central Park as they had for a while.

"What do you mean?"

"I just don't know why I'm here. As you can tell, Hawkes and I are fighting," Kelly sighed. She wished things were simpler. She wished she was back in college before her family was murdered.

"I would have never guessed. What happened when your brother was held at gun point?" Mac asked knowing the answer.

"Well, I thought you would have figured it out when I called you Kevin. I guess you just want to make sure you are right. I tried to talk the suspect down, and he shot Kevin. I watched my entire family die in front of me, Mac, I watched them take their last breaths," she said tears again rolling down her face. Mac stopped for a moment and waited for her to calm down a little.

"Kelly, I'm so sorry," he said truth ringing in his words. She looked up at him.

"I just don't know what I'm doing," she told him looking for hope.

"I think you should take some time off," he told her with her best interest in mind. She needed to think about some things happening.

"I should, but I can't. My life is here now. My other friends are in Miami, and if I go there, I will just end up spending my vacation at the crime lab where they work. I have one friend in Vegas, but she works at the crime lab there," she told him.

"You need to expand your friend horizons," he chuckled.

"We went to college together after I transferred from Kansas State, roomed together, and I haven't talked to them since I've moved up here. Mac, I need to stay here. New York is my home," she told him in all seriousness. Her friends were a little disappointed when she went to New York instead of Miami. She always had liked the cold better.

"Okay, Kelly. You know yourself best. If you need any help or advice, you know I'm here for you," he told her.

"Thanks, Mac, you don't have to do this," she replied.

"I know, but you haven't been yourself lately, and it's been bugging me," he smiled wryly. Kelly laughed.

"Okay, I guess we ought to get back to the lab since lunch is over," she said wiping any remainder tears from her eyes with her sleeve.

"Who died and made you me?" he asked laughing.

"Funny, Mac, you're just hilarious"

"I try," he told her sarcastically. She rolled her eyes.

"Next time, you talk, and I listen"

"Yes, ma'am"

"That's just cruel," she told him laughing. They walked to the curb where they called a cab.

………………………………………………

"Stella, what worries me is that Mac is more sarcastic than I am lately," Kelly told her.

"Kind of weird. Maybe he has a new appreciation for life," Stella said causing both of them to laugh.

"So anything new off that cigar?"

……………………………………………..

"So I'm guessing you were with Kelly?" Hawkes asked Mac when he got back from the lunch break.

"Yeah, I think you ought to apologize to her. That's just a suggestion. By the way, whatever you think is going on isn't. We are talking about something that happened a long time ago," Mac told him condescendingly.

……………………………………………..

"Ugh, how did you deal with Kelly and Hawkes?" Mac asked Stella.

"I didn't. I left them for you," Stella laughed.

"That's comforting," he said taking her hand and leading her away from the lab.

"So where are we going?" she asked trying to keep up.

"The park," he told her. They walked the said number of blocks until they finally reached the park. They decided against a cab. It was a beautiful spring day, and they had all the time in the world.

"What are we doing at Central Park?" she asked laughing.

"There is this tree that is blossoming. I saw it at lunch. I thought you would like it," he told her smiling. He once again led her by the hand to a spot where the setting sun hit the tree perfectly reflecting light off the blossoms. Stella leaned into him.

"You were right"

"Am I ever not?" he asked wryly.

"Kelly was right about this sarcasm thing," Stella told him.

"I suppose. You want dinner?" he asked.

"I would love dinner"

**After Notes: It was a little fluffy, but after all that danger I thought that would be something you all would like. I gave you all DL. It's something I've wanted for a while. It was partly based off the song **_**Check Yes Juliet**_** by **_**We The Kings**_**. The song at the beginning was **_**Believe **_**by **_**The Bravery**_**. Please review! I would like to thank my sane (though how sane can you be if you are reading my story?) reviewers: Bonasera, lily moonlight, au004, EverythingIsConnected, and Blue Shadowdancer! They rock so much. I guess I will thank my insane Kelly/Mac shipping reviewers who are cool even if they are a little insane: CSIMiami17 and luf100! You guys are so weird in a good way! Hahaha! Hope you all have a great day! :D**


	30. The One With The Pride

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I want to go more into Kelly and Hawkes' fight. I think it's a pride thing really. Both have too much pride to admit that both were at fault. So I guess the title is only fitting. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Pride**

"Maybe we should talk," Kelly told him when she got to the break room. Mac and Stella were there sipping coffee. They went unnoticed by the bickering couple. Kelly and Hawkes had been fighting incessantly since they took a break.

"Alright, let's talk. Do you want to talk about what happened ten years ago? Oh wait, you already told Mac. Was that before or after you slept with him?" Hawkes asked. Kelly's eyes were wide. Mac spit the coffee he was drinking back into the cup.

"Since you are always right, that must have happened," Kelly glared.

"I am not in the mood for coffee anymore," Mac said taking Stella's hand and walking out.

"Do you realize what you're saying? Apparently, not because you just accused Mac of cheating on Stella. Mac would never cheat and neither would I," Kelly told him. She walked out of the break room. Hawkes stood there realizing what he said.

………………………………………………….

"Okay, do you all have anything new on the case?" Kelly asked making Mac jump. She and Stella laughed at this. Mac looked embarrassed.

"No," Mac answered.

"I was making a point, Mac, nothing else," Kelly laughed.

"Still nothing on the case"

…………………………………………………

"I'm not going to beg for her to take me back," Hawkes told Danny.

"As if you don't want to? You need her. She's a mess right now, but you have it worse," Lindsay told him. She and Danny had finally patched things up.

"I'm not going to get on my knees to get her back," Hawkes was too prideful as was Kelly. They didn't want to grovel. They both wanted each other back, but neither would admit it.

"You are impossible," Lindsay sighed. It was worse when talking to Kelly. She blatantly and bluntly refused to apologize. From where she stood, Hawkes was the one who didn't trust her and accused her of sleeping with Mac. Everyone laughed when they heard that he accused them of sleeping together. Kelly and Mac sleeping together. It was just a hilarious thought. They still watched the video of the kiss for a good laugh. Kelly didn't think it was funny at all neither did Mac. If the topic ever came to what happened that night, they always seemed to digress from that topic.

"You miss her," Flack walked into the room.

"How did you know that we were talking about Kelly?" Danny asked.

"I just did. Apologize," Flack told Hawkes.

"He won't he just refuses every single time. He needs to apologize," Lindsay said.

"She doesn't want me back," Hawkes told them.

"Yes, she wants to be back with you. She's miserable. She's not even sarcastic anymore," Danny replied.

"She can't even make fun of Mac," Don stated.

"Really?" everyone knew Kelly had a soft spot for making jokes at Mac. She had to have been miserable not to make even the obvious jokes.

"Yeah, Mac even set her up for one. She didn't say anything," Lindsay tried to make a point to Hawkes. He wasn't getting it.

"I think you really hurt her especially when you accused her of sleeping with Mac," Danny said laughing. That thought was hilarious to him.

"Okay, I already feel terrible about all this. You don't have to shove this in my face," Hawkes told them.

"Apologize to her and Mac. You accused him of cheating on Stella which is absurd," Lindsay replied.

"I feel terrible. You guys are just the best," Hawkes stated sarcastically. They rolled their eyes.

"Apologize!" they all said at once. They just happened to say it all at once. Hawkes knew that they were right. Of course, they were right.

"I want to, but I can't. She's really mad at me. I'm pretty sure that she made the same gesture she made at Mac before they kissed at me today like three times," Hawkes told them.

"Huh, I didn't see that," Danny replied.

"Yeah, she also made it at you when you left her with Mac," Hawkes laughed.

"You'll do whatever it takes, right?" Lindsay asked in all seriousness.

"Well, yeah," he told them getting his confidence back.

"Then go after her. Tell her how you feel," Flack told him. Hawkes finally agreed and left the lab to find where Kelly was eating for lunch.

"Think he has a chance?" Lindsay asked.

"Are you kidding me? After he accused her of sleeping with Mac, he would have better luck finding an M&M in a pile of Skittles," Flack replied. They laughed. Hawkes was going to make a fool out of himself.

…………………………………………………..

"Funny," Kelly laughed. She and Mac were walking and talking again. They came to the tree that Mac had shown Stella the day before.

"Did you show her?"

"Yeah, you were right. She did love it," Mac told her.

"That's good," Kelly was smiling. Of course, Hawkes happened to walk up to Mac and her walking and laughing. That was just his luck and her luck.

"Hi," he told them. They stopped laughing. It was definitely an awkward silence.

"Why are you here?" Kelly snarled. Mac decided to walk off somewhere and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

"I wanted to apologize," Hawkes told her.

"I'm not the only one you have to apologize to"

"I know"

"Then why aren't you apologizing to Mac? You just accused him of something not true. I can't believe that you think of him as someone who cheats. I know I'm a lot of things, but I don't cheat"

"I'll do whatever it takes," Hawkes told her softly.

"It took two people to end this relationship"

"I thought we were on a break," he said still quietly.

"We are, but then you accused me of sleeping with Mac," she said her eyes sparkled with the prospect that she could cry. She had managed not to cry so far in front of him. She wasn't going to this time either.

"I thought you had," Hawkes told her. That was all she could take.

"Yes, that's it. We are doing it at lunch," she happened to say loudly. People turned to look at her. She didn't care. "That came out wrong."

"I thought you loved me," he was still speaking quietly. She looked at him coldly.

"I do, no, I did. You were supposed to love me and trust me. As you can see, there is nothing going on between Mac and me. We were talking about Stella and him," she assured him. She was still angry at him. She watched him as he walked off. Nothing good happened in that argument.

"You okay?" Mac asked her. She nodded though they both knew she wasn't.

"We still have an hour before lunch ends. Mac," she said his name though she had nothing more to say to him. It was more of a cue for him to keep talking.

"Kelly, I reckon you should at least listen to him," he told her. They just needed to talk. If Hawkes and Kelly would talk, maybe, just maybe, they could work this out.

"When did you start using reckon?"

"Just keep walking, Higgins"

…………………………………………………

"No," he told them. He swore he saw Danny give Flack ten dollars.

"I'm sorry. Give her some time," Lindsay told Hawkes. Flack looked a little smug that he was right. Lindsay gave him a look.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," Hawkes sighed.

"Have you heard the song _Whatever It Takes_ by _Lifehouse_?" Danny asked.

"No," he replied.

"Well, you should listen to it. I think it sums up this whole situation," Danny replied. The others agreed with him. Lindsay took Danny's iPod out of her purse and handed it to Hawkes.

"It's on there somewhere"

"Thanks"

_A strangled smile fell from your face  
__It kills me that I hurt you this way  
__The worst part is that I didn't even know  
__Now there are a million reasons for you to go  
__But if you can find a reason to say_

_I'll do whatever it takes  
__To turn this around  
__I know what's at stake  
__I know that I've let you down  
__And if you give me a chance  
__Believe that I can change  
__I'll keep us together whatever it takes_

_She said "If we're going to make this work  
__You gotta let me inside even though it hurts  
__Don't hide the broken parts that I need to see"  
__She said "Like it or not it's the way it's gotta be  
__You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me"  
_

_I'll do whatever it takes  
__To turn this around  
__I know what's at stake  
__I know that I've let you down  
__And if you give me a chance  
__And give me a break  
__I'll keep us together, I know you deserve much better_

_Remember the time I told you the way that I felt  
__That I'd be lost without you and never find myself  
__Let's hold onto each other above everything else  
__Start over, start over_

_I'll do whatever it takes  
__To turn this around  
__I know what's at stake  
__I know that I've let you down  
__And if you give me a chance  
__And believe that I can change  
__I'll keep us together whatever it takes_

"Good song," Hawkes told them.

"Ugh, you are impossible," Lindsay groaned.

"Does it give you any ideas?" Danny asked. Hawkes looked worn out.

"Tell her this and you are golden," Flack answered for him. This time they were right. If he were to openly apologize, maybe, just maybe, Kelly and he could work it out.

………………………………………………

"Kelly, wait up!" he called after her. She didn't stop. He followed her for about five blocks before he caught up with her.

"I love you," he told her. She glared. The people around them were a little confused. Some stuck around to see what this was about. They formed a semi-circle around them. Hawkes pulled out a flower.

"I'll do anything to have you back. I was being immature. I should've trusted you. If you want me to get on my knees, look I'm on my knees," he got down and made her blush. She was trying to hide a smile. He looked like a fool.

"I'll do whatever it takes. To turn this around. I know what's at stake. I know that I've let you down. And if you give me a chance. Believe that I can change. I'll keep us together whatever it takes. I messed up big time. I had no idea how much I hurt you. I should have too. Kelly, forgive me. I'm on my knees begging for your forgiveness. I want you back. No, I need you back. I was the biggest fool, and I know that you deserve better than me. Please, Kelly, take me back. I should have never accused you of cheating on me. I love you," he finished. Many of the people around them smiled. What was she supposed to do? She wanted him. Oh, how she wanted to be in his arms again, but he had cut her deeply. It was her pride that was keeping her from going with him. She knew how sorry he was. She was sorry too. It was time they put this behind them.

"I love you, too, Doc," she whispered. He still heard it above the noise of the city. He held her close.

"I'm never letting go of you," he whispered into her ear.

"You might if you want a living girlfriend," she laughed. Her laughter was so peaceful to him. It was different when they were mad at each other. She took his hand. He didn't know where they were going, but he was going to enjoy the ride.

**After Notes: So she caved. I had to. I had so many requests for them to get back together. Plus, I love that couple. It was a little cheesy. I had to. It's hard to have it not be a little cheesy. I hope it was ****funny. Thanks to Sarryb who helped me with the first part in the break room, and to luf100 for help with a line. Please review! I would like to thank all my reviewers (even the crazy duo): au004, lily moonlight, CSIMiami17, Blue Shadowdancer, and luf100! You guys are so amazingly awesome. I had a little shout out to a story. I 'reckon' that it's Where Have All The Cowboys Gone. I didn't mean to have it in there. I just had been reading it and was countrified by it. Lol. You need to read it. It's amazing. Also Fragments and Undercover. Those stories are amazing! Hope you all have a great day! :D**


	31. The One With The Football

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. I don't know how many times I will have to go over that. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together as they should be.**

**Notes: I got a lot of praise for getting Kelly and Hawkes back together. I hope this one lives up to expectations. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Football**

"Okay, what's missing?" Mac asked when he looked at the evidence Stella, Kelly, and he were working on.

"A life, Mac, it's called a life. Oh, I am back," Kelly said smiling. Mac had indeed set her up for that joke just to make sure that she was actually okay. Since she had taken the bait, it was true. Kelly and Hawkes were back together. She had listened to Hawkes which meant that she had listened to Mac. It made him a little proud of her. Mac laughed at her joke.

"You should know," he dug. She rolled her eyes.

………………………………………………..

"Hey," Kelly dropped into the trace lab. Hawkes and Danny were in there.

"Hello," Hawkes chimed. He smiled.

"You two going to play football tonight?" she asked.

"I am. Who's playing?" Danny questioned.

"Lindsay, Jessica, Don, you, me, and hopefully Hawkes," Kelly answered. Danny and Kelly gave Hawkes a look until he finally consented.

"Where's the game?" Hawkes asked.

"Central Park. I guess it is girls against guys," Kelly left the room.

…………………………………………………

"Alright, you guys ready to get your butts kicked?" Lindsay asked. Danny laughed. The girls huddled by their end zone which was a trash can, the boys by their end zone the oak tree.

"Flack, wrong team," Kelly yelled when he went over to the guys. Angell and Lindsay laughed. Flack glared.

"Just start the game. You can have the ball first," Danny told them. The girls agreed and Danny threw it deep. Kelly caught it and ran towards the end zone. Danny was standing in front of her with an evil grin on his face. Kelly kept running, but tossed it laterally to Lindsay who ran for the touchdown. Flack was too busy holding Angell back to notice.

"Flack, get your head in the game," Hawkes told him. Flack looked up to see Lindsay and Kelly celebrating the touchdown. Danny was shaking his head. They had no idea that the girls could play football.

"Angell, get over here. You're throwing it to the guys," Kelly yelled. This was fun. Sure, she always watched games with the guys. They had no idea that she could play. She had two brothers, of course, she could play. It was a Thanksgiving tradition to play with her family. She put those thoughts behind her. She didn't need to bring up the past then.

"You guys ready," Angell snapped the pass. Danny caught it. Angell rushed forward blocking Hawkes. Lindsay took Flack. Kelly had some payback to deal with.

"Go for the love handles," Lindsay yelled causing Danny to look down while Kelly put two hands on him. He was down. He got around seven yards off it. The girls huddled. Angell was going to blitz. Kelly covered Danny still while Lindsay took Hawkes. Angell was busy distracting Flack since he was the quarterback.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Angell, go," Kelly yelled. Flack snapped the pass to Danny. Kelly caught up with the CSI, jumped, and 'accidently' tackled him. It was two hand touch.

"Flag," Danny got up saying. The girls were outraged.

"No flag," Kelly objected.

"She tackled Danny," Hawkes said.

"It was an accident," Lindsay told him.

"Fine, we'll play tackle," Danny told them.

"Mac's going to kill us if one of us gets hurt," Lindsay replied.

"What he doesn't know doesn't hurt him. Isn't that right, Flack?" Kelly stated. She was referring to something from the week before. Flack glared. He wanted payback, and it was now a game of tackle.

"Shut up, Kelly!" he glared making the girls laugh. The guys huddled again. The girls were going to cover their guy. Well, not their guy. Kelly was covering Danny, Lindsay Hawkes, and Angell Flack. Hawkes hiked the ball to Flack then went long. Lindsay was at his heels. Kelly followed Danny. Angell rushed Flack. He threw it to Hawkes. Lindsay jumped up and intercepted it. She sprinted toward the end zone with Hawkes at her heels. He wasn't going to tackle her. It just wouldn't have been right. Danny got past Kelly and went for Lindsay. He dove at her heels. He missed. Flack was blocking Lindsay so she threw a lateral to Angell who went in for the touchdown. The girls did a celebration dance.

"Okay, losers buy winners dinner," Lindsay told the guys.

"That's good. I'm in the mood for lobster, aren't you guys?" Kelly asked. The girls all laughed. The guys sulked. They decided to step up their game. They would do whatever it took to win. It was a shame that they had not anticipated the girls being amazing at football. They might have to have a rematch in another sport. Angell threw it down field where it made its way to Hawkes. Lindsay was already down there where she quickly tackled him.

"This is fun, isn't it?" she helped him up off the ground. He brushed the dirt off his shirt and made a face. Kelly grinned.

"That's my guy. He got tackled by a girl," Kelly laughed with Angell and Lindsay. They had to have more of these games. Hawkes also laughed. They might have been getting murdered by the girls, but they were having fun. One hour later the score was 42-14 in favor of the girls.

……………………………………………………

"So where are we going?" Stella asked Mac as he still held onto her hand. They were walking in the park.

"I don't know. I just like walking in the park in the spring," he told her. She squeezed his hand. After what happened two weeks before, they didn't want to ever let go of each other.

"Flag!" they heard someone yell.

"No way! It was a clean tackle!" they heard a woman yell back.

"You horse-tackled me," Stella and Mac turned to see Angell and Danny fighting.

"Danny! Jessica!" Mac yelled. They turned to Mac with wide eyes. They had these huge grins on their faces.

"Oi! Mac!" Danny called back. Kelly, Lindsay, Hawkes, and Flack walked up to Danny and Angell.

"What are you guys doing?" Mac asked.

"Football. Want to play, Mac? The guys need all the help they can get," the girls laughed. The guys sulked again.

"What's the score?" Mac asked.

"58-21. We're winning," Kelly told him.

"No thanks. I'm not in a football mood," Mac replied.

"Oh now that you know the score you don't play, coward," Kelly joked. Mac shook his head.

"No, but if one of you gets hurt I'm blaming you, Kelly," he told her. She laughed, and they got back to playing the game. The game ended an hour later. The final score was 72-35. The girls dominated. The guys were just so happy to pay for dinner. They decided that pizza at Ray's would be good.

…………………………………………………..

"Girls win?" Mac asked when he saw Lindsay and Danny in the break room.

"Yeah, 72-35. We dominated," Lindsay boasted. Danny made a face. Mac laughed.

"We're going to beat you tomorrow in basketball," Danny told her confidently.

"Yeah, that's Kelly's sport. Football's mine. Angell is good at a lot of sports. I can play some basketball so we'll see," Lindsay replied. The thing was the guys did win in basketball.

**After Notes: Shorter than the past like three or four. It's a lighter one. Competitions are great. I hope that was funny. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: Lyric Mania, EverythingIsConnected, au004, lily moonlight, and luf100! They rock! Hope you had a great day!**


	32. The One With The Flirty Suspect

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. They really should be. Am I the only one who thinks so?**

**Notes: Okay, not as many hits on the last one as I would have wanted, but I'm still happy. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Flirty Suspect**

"Mac, you coming down to interrogation?" Kelly asked. She was flickering through the case file not really looking at it. She was waiting on Mac.

"Yes," he answered putting a piece of paper back on his desk.

……………………………………………..

"Flack," Kelly greeted him. Flack looked up smiling.

"Mac's gonna love this suspect," he laughed. Kelly was going to ask why, but Mac walked around the corner.

"You have Katherine Davidson in custody?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, though she keeps insisting on calling her Kat," Flack replied. He was having trouble keeping a straight face. He was going to enjoy the show from behind the glass. Kelly had to go into interrogation.

……………………………………………

"Katherine Davidson, do you know why you're here?" Kelly asked.

"Call me, Kat. I'm a suspect in a murder, Detective?" she wanted to know who was interrogating her.

"I'm Detective Higgins, and this is Detective Taylor," Kelly introduced Mac and herself to the suspect.

"Pleasure to meet you, Detective Taylor," Kat winked. Mac was taken aback by this. Kelly was trying hard to keep a straight face.

"Please, stay on task Miss Davidson," Mac told her.

"Anything for you, dear," Kat smiled impishly. Mac had no idea how to deal with her. He looked over at Kelly for some help.

"I need to leave the room for a moment," she whispered in his ear. When Kelly left, Mac heard this laughter coming from the hallway. He would deal with her later.

……………………………………………….

"Wondered when you'd come in," Flack said to Kelly. Danny was down there too. He wasn't even working on the case.

"Did she come onto you too, Flack?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah, though not as much as she's coming onto Mac," he laughed. They loved that they had interrogations on video. Thankfully, no one had come down on Flack and Kelly's interrogation tactics from a few weeks before.

"Crap! I have to go back in there," Kelly said when Mac glanced back. She sighed but reentered the interrogation room.

"Had fun?" Mac whispered in her ear.

"Actually yeah"

"So Detective Taylor, are you going to ask me some more questions?" Kat asked. Kelly was still trying to keep a straight face. Mac had no idea how to deal with her. Kelly decided to come to his rescue.

"No, I will though," Kelly told her.

"Well, as I was telling this handsome detective I only saw Ben yesterday," Kat answered. Mac leaned back in his chair. Flack was never going to let him live this down. If it hadn't been the interrogation room, Kelly would've had some fun with Mac.

"Kat, why was your DNA under his fingernails?" Kelly asked.

"Well, surely you can guess. Ben always liked it rough," she winked at Mac. Kelly let out a hint of a laugh, but passed it off as a cough. Mac decided that there was something important he needed to do about the case and left interrogation. Kelly was in control of the situation. She really wanted to say something to the suspect, but that wouldn't be professional.

"Do you have any proof that you were, well," Kelly asked.

"Yeah, I have the clothes I was wearing. Where did that hot detective go?" Kat asked. Kelly stood up, turned around, grinned, and faced the suspect again with a straight face.

"He needed to have something done," she answered. Kat sighed. Kelly was trying as hard as she could not to laugh. Kelly was dying over there trying not to laugh.

"Is he coming back?" Kat asked hoping. Kelly looked at the glass. She could imagine Flack and Danny laughing their heads off at this suspect.

"I doubt he is. We're going to need those clothes to confirm your story," Kelly walked out of interrogation. She walked into the room behind the glass.

"That was classic," Danny had tears in his eyes because he was laughing so hard.

"I knew he would just love that girl," Flack said causing Kelly to laugh.

………………………………………………

"You owe me," Kelly told her boss.

"Yeah, I know," he answered.

"What happened?" Stella asked.

"I had to take care of a suspect who was hitting on him. I swear she's insane," Kelly laughed. Mac was still embarrassed by the whole situation. Stella joined in laughing.

…………………………………………………..

"Her clothes had to have been washed because they aren't confirming her story," Kelly told Mac.

"I'll meet you down in interrogation," Mac told her.

"No, you won't. You're coming with me. You have to face her," she laughed. Mac sighed.

……………………………………………………

"Twice in one day. I must be lucky," Kat winked at Mac who turned red. Kelly was having a battle over keeping a straight face.

"Your story doesn't match up," Kelly told her. Kat looked confused.

"Your clothes," Mac tried to clear it up. Kat smiled and started to undress.

"No! Your clothes didn't match your story!" Kelly said quickly. Kat stopped undressing and smiled at Mac.

"I… uh… have to go," Mac said.

"You don't have to leave now, honey," Kat told him. Mac was already out of the room.

……………………………………………………

"Well, you got a confession," Stella was laughing. Kelly was laughing. Mac was thoroughly embarrassed by the entire thing.

"It was my favorite interrogation," Flack said.

"By far," Danny added.

"You weren't working that case," Stella told him.

"I know. Flack told me that Kat had come onto him. I had to see her in action," Danny laughed.

"I forgot to tell you. Mac, she said you can visit her in jail whenever you want," Kelly told Mac. He was just happy that case was over.

"I think she said whenever Mac's cute butt desires," Flack said.

"Don't ask, don't tell, Flack," Kelly patted him on the back.

"I didn't know you looked at Mac like that," Danny cracked up.

"I don't. You guys are evil," Flack told them. Everyone, including Mac, laughed. Flack was red. He just wanted that moment to be over.

**After Notes: Again, short, but not short. It's over one thousand words. If you don't think that would happen to Mac, you don't know Kat. She would do that. I hope that was funny. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: Blue Shadowdancer and lily moonlight! Those two rock! Hope you had a great day! :D**


	33. The One With The Conflicts

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. I do not own any of the soaps mention, and I do not watch them. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: This one's for lily moonlight. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Conflicts**

"Maybe you should sort out your priorities!" Mac's yell echoed through the lab. Everyone was expecting him to be yelling at Kelly. He wasn't. He was yelling at Stella. He stormed out of the trace lab. Suddenly, the lowly CSI's were busy talking about their cases. Kelly and Lindsay were trying to find a motive even though they already had. Hawkes and Danny were going over the DNA report for the tenth time that day. Mac walked in. His eyes were a cold grey. He was fuming. The CSI's pretended not to take notice.

"So the killer wanted the money? I can't believe we missed that," Kelly exclaimed. She might have been a bit obvious with that comment. Mac glared at her.

"So this guy isn't in the system?" Hawkes asked to get the attention off Kelly.

"No duh," Danny answered. Hawkes glared at him. It was a glare fest.

"You okay, Mac?" Kelly broke the silence.

"Mind your own business," Mac walked out. It was like he only came in there to take his anger out on his CSI's. Kelly didn't think that it was too low for him. That would have been rude if she had said it out loud. She knew he was pretty upset.

"I feel like I'm in a soap opera," Lindsay told them.

"Well, it certainly was a twist _As The World Turns_," Kelly told her.

"It's something I will be able to tell _All My Children_," Danny laughed.

"Keep talking like that and you are going to need to go to a hospital," Hawkes told him.

"_General Hospital _or a more specific one," Kelly replied. Even Hawkes laughed at that. Of course Kelly was his girlfriend. Didn't that sound nice to him?

"Well, I guess these are the _Days of Our Lives_. I'm going to miss them," Lindsay told them. They laughed and continued making soap opera jokes until they couldn't think of any more to do.

……………………………………………..

_As much I love you  
__As much I need you  
__And I can't stand ya  
__Most everything you do make me wanna smile  
__Can I not like you for a while?_

………………………………………………….

Nothing. No answer. He put his head down in disgust of himself. Why had he yelled at her the way he did? Sometimes he hated how much he loved her. Those were only sometimes. He loved her with all of his heart. It had been a long time since they had fought like this. He saw the spark and her eyes when she fought that it ignited his own fire to fight. Why had he let the fight go so far this time? He didn't want it to go that far. He needed her. He sat in his office as summer brought on its first blackout of the season. It was getting hotter in the lab. He listened as the backup generator kicked on. They had to preserve the evidence. He watched as the lab techs and CSI's put away their evidence to store in the lockers. He watched the DNA techs put the blood and such in the freezer and lock it up. The backup generator didn't have too much power reserved. It was enough to get the evidence away. Mac looked back at the DNA freezer. If it was locked, it should keep its temperature. Luck seemed to favor him. Maybe it would favor him now. He decided to walk around the lab and see if everything was taken care of. The generator would kick off soon. They had to get a better one.

"Mac! Join the party!" Danny exclaimed when he saw his boss come into the break room. Kelly, Lindsay, and Hawkes were with him.

"It's so hot here," Lindsay stated.

"Sorry, I'll leave," Kelly told her making everyone laugh. She was good with stuff like that.

"I hate blackouts," Danny said.

"Geez, Messer, don't get your panties in a bunch. It's just a blackout. We used to have them all the time in Dallas. We will just need some flashlights which should be in our kits. They aren't bad," Kelly replied making Danny scowl.

"Bossy much?" Danny asked.

"Just because I know what to do in this situation doesn't make me bossy. Now, get your flashlight. That's what makes me bossy," Kelly laughed. Mac left the CSI's to bicker in the break room. He went into trace. Adam and Kendall were replacing some batteries on the flashlights. He went around to all of the labs. They seemed to be in good shape. He went to reconstruction. Stella had set up flashlights so she could continue her process of elimination on the pig.

"Pick on someone your own size," Mac told her entering.

"Are you volunteering because I can make that work?" Stella answered. Mac looked at the pig and then back up at her.

"If it will get you to talk to me, Stell, please forgive me?" he asked. She ignored what he said and kept working. He sighed, but left her to her work.

……………………………………………..

_No, but you won't let me  
__You upset me, girl, and then you kiss my lips  
__All of the sudden I forget that I was upset  
__Can't remember what you did_

……………………………………………..

"Mac, do you know where Sid is?" Kelly asked.

"Why do you want him?" Mac rebutted.

"We wanted to ask if we can borrow his scalpels," Kelly said evasively.

"You aren't playing Scalpel Darts during a blackout!" Mac told her. Kelly put her hands up in defense.

"Sorry," she answered. Mac left them.

"What game could we play?" Danny asked.

"Poker?" Lindsay suggested.

"In the dark?" Kelly asked.

"Strip poker?" Danny suggested.

"No!" Hawkes, Kelly, and Lindsay answered at once. If he wanted to be fired, he could. They liked their jobs.

"Okay, so what should we do?" Hawkes asked.

………………………………………………..

_But I hate it  
__You know exactly what to do  
__So that I can't stay mad at you  
__For too long, that's wrong_

…………………………………………………..

She wanted to apologize. But why should she be the one to apologize? It was his fault. He had started that whole argument. Well, that wasn't completely true. Why did she have to love him so much? Sometimes she hated how much she loved him. It was a curse sometimes. Now there was this blackout. He came into reconstruction to apologize. Apologize. She turned him away. She now felt responsible. It took two people to fight. Two people. She couldn't just blame him as tempting as it was. They were both adults. _Adult, Stella, you're an adult, just apologize. _There was something that she couldn't deal with. Pride. His pride. Her pride. She didn't want to give in. It wasn't the way she did things. They were going to be stuck in limbo if one of them didn't ignore their pride. The proverb was that pride go before a fall. They were falling. Apart.

"Stella," Adam said.

"Yeah"

"You've been standing here a while. Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, must be the heat," she lied quickly.

"Okay," he left her to her thoughts. Her thoughts on Mac. Mac. Apologies. What did she really want? Him. Them. Together. Not fighting. Love. His love. Of course he loved her. Could she ever doubt him? The answer was obvious. No. She smiled for the first time since the fight. She had to apologize. But maybe, just maybe, she would stay mad at him for a while longer.

……………………………………………..

_But I hate it  
__You know exactly how to touch  
__So that I don't want to fuss and fight no more  
__Said, I despise that I adore you_

………………………………………………..

_It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all._ That person must be crazy, Mac thought. He hadn't lost Stella. Not yet. No, he wouldn't let that happen. Never. He wasn't going to lose her. He refused to lose her. The temperature in the lab really was starting to rise quickly. Mac rolled his sleeves up and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. He decided to get some water from the break room before it boiled.

"Looking good, Mac," Kelly whistled.

"I'm not in the mood," he answered.

"Fine, don't go all PMS on me," she laughed. He snapped.

"You know what, Kelly? I dare you to say something else to me. Just see what I'll do," he spat. She looked him right in the eye with a real hard stare. She wasn't intimidated, but she knew to draw the line. He looked away and walked out after getting his water. She rolled her eyes. She was going to kill him if he didn't apologize to Stella. He was getting nasty. She probably shouldn't have joked around with him while he was still in that state.

……………………………………………...

_And I hate how much I love you, boy  
__I can't stand how much I need you  
__And I hate how much I love you, boy  
__But I just can't let you go  
__And I hate that I love you so_

……………………………………………………

Left. Right. Heavy tread. Or was it a light tread? No, it was a heavier tread. She recognized it. Mac's tread. He was walking to his office from the break room. It was dark now. She took a flashlight and walked over to the break room. She got a hard glare from Kelly. What did she do to deserve that? No, Mac had done something.

"Kelly, you have to have something sarcastic to say about this situation," Stella told her. Kelly stared coldly at her.

"I wouldn't want to do that," she answered blankly.

"Mac just got almost the maddest he's ever gotten at her for making a couple of jokes," Danny cleared the situation for Stella. She had never known Kelly to be intimidated by Mac. No, Kelly wouldn't be. She was trying to prove a point. Kelly looked away. She was tired of being at the lab and tired of fighting. She got off the table she was sitting on. She wished it would cool down. She had a tank top in her locker.

………………………………………………

_And you completely know the power that you have  
__The only one who make me laugh  
__Sad and it's not fair that you take advantage of the fact  
__That I love you beyond the reason why  
__And it just ain't right_

…………………………………………….

Mac paced in his office. It wasn't helping the heat situation, but the thought process, yes, very much so. Apologize. That word haunted him. It wasn't a very threatening word unless you were the focus of Stella's anger. In that case, Mac's present case, it was a very threatening word. He had to apologize or he wouldn't forgive himself. He hated this part. Him being nervous wasn't helping the situation. He felt a little bad anyway for yelling at Kelly. She was just trying to lighten the atmosphere. He felt worse about the Stella situation.

………………………………………………

_And I hate how much I love you, girl  
__I can't stand how much I need you  
__And I hate how much I love you, girl  
__But I just can't let you go  
__But I hate that I love you so_

………………………………………………

Mac walked to the door of his office. Stella was casually sitting in hers. She was looking at the blank computer screen wishing that she wouldn't have to talk to Mac. Maybe it would turn on. It was possible even though the past three hours there had been no power. She didn't even remember why she was avoiding him. She wanted to talk to him and work things out.

……………………………………………

_One of these days, maybe your magic won't affect me  
__And your kiss won't make me weak  
__But no one in this world knows me the way you know me  
__So you'll probably always have a spell on me, yeah_

…………………………………………..

"Fine Danny, we'll play _regular_ poker," Kelly told him.

"Okay," he answered.

……………………………………………

_As much I love you  
__As much I need you  
__As much I love you  
__As much I need you  
__And I hate that I love you so_

……………………………………………

"Stella," Mac knocked on the door to her office. She turned in her swivel chair.

"Yeah"

"Can I come in?" he asked. Stella pretended to think for a moment.

"Well, you kinda look like an idiot standing out there," she told him. He walked in.

"Can I apologize?" he wondered.

"You should"

"Stella, I don't know why I yelled at you or said the things I said. I love you. I acted like an idiot. I probably look like an idiot," Mac rambled. Stella smiled.

"Don't worry, you don't probably look like an idiot. You do look like an idiot," she laughed. Mac smiled.

"I want you to forgive me," he told her.

"I'll have to think about that," she replied wryly. Mac grinned.

"Shall I take that as a yes?"

"Are you ever wrong?"

"Should I give you the humble answer or the right answer?" he asked laughing.

"Not funny, Taylor," she answered trying to keep a straight face. "Yes, Mac, I forgive you."

"I love you, Stell. Do you know that?" he asked as he embraced her.

"I love you too if that's what you're looking for"

……………………………………………………………

_And I hate how much I love you, boy  
__I can't stand how much I need you  
__And I hate how much I love you, girl  
__But I just can't let you go  
__But I hate that I love you so  
__And I hate that I love you so, so_

………………………………………………………

**After Notes: Even the best couples fight. I hope you all liked that. The song interspersed was **_**Hate That I Love You **_**by **_**Rihanna and Ne-Yo**_**. It's my last before I leave for ten days. I would like to thank my reviewers: Bonasera, lily moonlight, EverythingIsConnected, luf100, CSIMiami17, GregRox, au004, and Sarryb! They rock! As do their stories! Hope you have a great day! I might not get to reply to everyone's reviews because I'm leaving tomorrow for ten days. I will miss you all! :D**


	34. The One In Miami

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY or the CSI:MIAMI characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Let's see what happens when Mac, Kelly, and Danny go to Miami for a case. Fun stuff. Caitie is luf100's OC. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One In Miami**

"Awesome!" Kelly exclaimed when they got out of the airport. Mac sighed. Who knew how long it would take to solve this case? Kelly had her duffle on her shoulder. She put a pair of sunglasses on.

"Before we get to the crime lab, I need to talk to you, Kelly," Mac said in all seriousness. Danny gave her a smug look. Kelly stopped.

"Yeah"

"Don't make any jokes at the Lieutenant. He's a good guy," Mac told her.

"See it's when you warn me that is making me want to make a joke," she replied.

"Please"

"Since you said please"

"How about thirty-five dollars for every day you don't make a joke?" Mac offered.

"That seems reasonable"

"And you give me ten dollars every time you make a joke"

"Deal"

………………………………………………….

"Horatio," Mac shook his friend's hand.

"Welcome… to… Miami," Horatio said in his slow and dramatic speak. Kelly bit her bottom lip so she wouldn't say anything. Mac turned around to watch her struggle with this. He had a smirk on his face.

"You've met Danny before, and this is Kelly Higgins," Mac introduced the CSI's who accompanied him. Kelly shook hands with H. She still wanted to say something sarcastic, but the promise of money kept her from making a joke.

"H, I have a DNA report," said a familiar voice to Kelly.

"Caitie Jacobs?" she asked.

"Kelly Higgins?" came the reply.

"I knew it was you," Kelly stated elated. Caitie handed Horatio the report and walked off with Kelly.

"Well, that's why there are three of us here. We'll fill you in on the case," Mac told Horatio.

……………………………………………….

"I haven't talked to you in forever!" Caitie exclaimed as she hugged Kelly who was a little tentative to hug her back.

"I know. I want to know about Miami," Kelly told her.

"First, you tell me how New York is. Is that older guy your boss? How's he?" Caitie was talking about a hundred miles per hour.

"Mac's good unless you make too many jokes. I've gotten quite a few dressing downs from him," Kelly told her not realizing that Caitie didn't know what a dressing down was.

"Ohh, he's that kind of boss," Caitie raised her eyebrows. Kelly's eyes went wide.

"No, a dressing down is being scolded or yelled at"

"Sure it is," Caitie laughed not believing her.

"I've forgotten how perverted your mind is. I have a boyfriend back at the lab in New York," Kelly told her.

"I'm not going to tell him. It's Miami. Just say it's the heat," Caitie replied.

"It's not like that," Kelly repeated. Caitie just laughed. That was why Kelly didn't talk to her anymore. Kelly was so embarrassed by those accusations that she was beet red.

"My lips are sealed," she said. Kelly just quietly seethed.

"At… least… I don't… talk… this… slowly," Kelly imitated Horatio. Caitie started laughing because Mac was right behind her.

"Ten bucks, Kelly," Mac said from behind her. Kelly rolled her eyes but got ten dollars out. Caitie started laughing.

"What's that about?" Mac asked.

"Don't ask," Kelly said quickly as she glared at her. Mac was going to press, but instinct told him to leave it alone. The sun was setting on the first day. They didn't have any leads so the New York team members went back to their hotel.

………………………………………………………………….

"What are you doing up so early?" Mac asked Kelly when he saw her in the breakfast buffet getting coffee.

"I couldn't sleep. What are you doing up this early?" she rebutted.

"Couldn't sleep? Why are you lying?" he replied.

"I'm not lying. I've already been to the gym this morning and cleaned my gun twice," she shook her head. It was four in the morning. She put some half 'n half in her coffee. "Want a coffee?"

"I guess," he answered. Kelly poured him some regular coffee. "Are you going to tell my why you can't sleep?"

"I have been having weird dreams about what happened when Kevin died and after that," she replied.

"I still don't know how you got out of that"

"I'll tell you later. Want anything in the coffee?"

"No thanks," he answered. She handed him the coffee. They started walking back up to the rooms when Mac spilled some coffee on himself.

"Dang it!" Mac started mumbling other words that shouldn't be repeated. Kelly laughed as his phone rang. He took it out of his pocket. "Can you answer it?"

"Sure," she said not thinking clearly. "Hello."

"Detective Taylor?" Kelly recognized the voice as Caitie's. She really hated her friend right now. She was never going to live down answering Mac's phone.

"No, it's Kelly," she told her friend.

"Why are you answering Mac's phone?" Caitie asked laughing.

"It's a long story," Kelly sighed. "Why did you call?"

"We have a lead on the killer. I have to hear this one."

"Good-bye," Kelly hung up. "We have a lead, Mac."

"Great, just great. Can you call Danny?" Mac asked walking to his room to change his shirt. Kelly nodded. She walked up to Danny's room and knocked. A very tired Danny answered.

"We have a lead," Kelly told him.

"It's four in the morning," Danny yawned.

"Get dressed," Kelly was suddenly aware that Danny didn't have a shirt on. "Nice tattoo."

"Where's Mac?" Danny asked.

"Changing. It's a long story. Just get dressed"

……………………………………………………

"Why were you answering your boss' phone?" Caitie squealed thinking she was right. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"He spilled coffee on himself," she told Caitie.

"It was four in the morning. What were you doing with Mac at four in the morning?"

"I couldn't sleep so I got coffee, and he was there. We aren't into each other," Kelly defended herself. Why did people always assume that?

"Sure you guys aren't," Caitie smiled evilly. Kelly glared.

"I wouldn't to save my life or his life for that matter," she replied still glaring. Mac walked in.

"You have a lead?" he asked. Caitie was still grinning.

"Yeah, the sand you found on your body was from this low lying area near the beach. Great make out spot," Caitie mumbled the last bit for Kelly to hear. She gave her the finger. Mac noticed and gave Kelly a look. She grinned hugely just for his benefit. Mac was puzzled. Caitie laughed at the two of them which made Kelly want to make another gesture at her.

"Whoa, there Kelly," Mac said. Kelly just stood there. If she said anything to Mac, Caitie would make a joke. Kelly just wanted this case to be over. She missed New York City. She missed making jokes at Mac and the 'flirting'. If Caitie ever thought that it meant something other than a joke, Kelly would never live it down. She probably would never live answering Mac's phone at four in the morning down. She was sure that word would get to New York. She suddenly didn't want to be in New York.

…………………………………………………..

"You're Danny right?" Caitie asked. He nodded.

"How long have you known Kelly?" he wondered.

"We were roommates in college. What exactly is going on between her and Mac?" she questioned getting straight to the point.

"Well, we think they hate each other, but then they get along. They've been talking a lot lately. That was after they kissed," Danny was happy to spill anything on them. He wanted to annoy them.

"They kissed?!" Caitie exclaimed. Kelly walked in unnoticed to them.

"Yeah, pretty long too and passionately," Danny told her. Kelly knew at once who they were talking about. She started laughing.

"I don't remember that"

"Kelly, I didn't know you were here," Danny smiled. Kelly glared.

"I think I of all people would remember that, and it sure wasn't passionate. Danny, you shouldn't lie," Kelly reprimanded him.

"I'm not lying. I was there"

"You would have never known that there was tongue if Mac didn't say anything about the gum which he still owes me a piece," she replied.

"You guys made out!" Caitie laughed. Kelly shook her head. That was why she didn't talk with her friends.

……………………………………………………

"Kelly, you coming?" Mac asked.

"No, I remember the last time I went on a lead with you two. I still can't take full breaths," she replied.

"Come on, Indy," Danny pleaded. Kelly was confused.

"When did I become Indiana Jones?"

"Remember before the bomb and in my story," Danny explained.

"What story?" Kelly asked.

"The story about you and Mac. Oh, you two weren't there. Never mind," Danny said quickly.

"I don't want to know, Danny," Mac told him.

"I also remember getting knocked out that case I worked with Mac"

"Fine, be that way, Indiana Jones," Danny teased.

"That's Dr. Jones to you," Kelly laughed.

……………………………………………………

"How's Miami?" Hawkes asked her.

"Suckish. The case is great. My friend from college thinks some things that aren't right. I'll tell you about it later," Kelly replied.

"I'm sorry. Tell everyone hi for me. Stella says the same. Love you," Hawkes told her.

"I love you too. I'll see you later I guess. Bye," Kelly hung up. Caitie happened to be in the room to hear the last part of the conversation.

"Talking to your boyfriend?" she asked.

"Yeah," Kelly replied.

"Mac?"

"No, my actual boyfriend at the lab," Kelly answered.

"We got him," Mac told her coming in from interrogation.

"And I was just beginning to love it here," Kelly said sarcastically. She dug in her wallet for ten dollars and gave it to Mac.

"So you got seventy dollars. I'm proud of you, Kelly," Mac told her. Caitie gave Kelly a look. She glared.

………………………………………………………

"Guys… I'm… going… to… miss… Miami," she said putting sunglasses on and standing with her hands on her hips. Mac and Danny laughed.

"Ten dollars," Mac said his hand extended. Kelly dug again for ten dollars. She had about seven. She handed what she had to him.

"I'll give you the rest in New York," she told him.

"Fair enough"

…………………………………………………………

She wanted to sleep, but it was really uncomfortable sitting straight up. She had some kid kicking the back of her chair. She finally got to sleep. Danny was asleep on her left and Mac was nodding off on her right. They had all had a late night with the case.

"Sir, I'm sorry," the flight attendant woke him up. Mac stirred a little. The flight attendant moved on. Mac looked to his left. Danny was leaning on Kelly who was now asleep on his shoulder. Mac didn't have the heart to move her since she hadn't been getting that much sleep. She stirred a little but slept on. Mac wondered when she would wake up. He decided to look through her iPod in her hand. She had a lot of_ Coldplay_. He was skimming through her songs when she woke up.

"Awkward," she muttered when she noticed she was asleep on Mac's shoulder. She sat up, but had to lean a little to the right because Danny was asleep on her shoulder. She would deal with him later. He would rue the day he slept on her shoulder. She had to keep from grinning at her thoughts.

"How about we talk now?"

"Alright, I can do that," she whispered. Why could you never speak above a whisper on a plane? It's not that you couldn't, but it was frowned upon.

"How did you get out of there alive?" Mac asked curious.

"I don't really remember much about that. I remember waking up in the hospital. I was shot in the shoulder. It wasn't too serious, but you know doctors"

"You're dating a doctor," Mac laughed. She grinned.

"I keep having dreams where I'm the one shooting Kevin," she sighed. Mac nodded.

"It's not your fault that he's dead," he assured her.

"Yes it is. I tried to talk Brian down. I don't even know why he killed my family," she hung her head. This was a messy situation. Mac sighed before he spoke.

"I think you should go to Texas. You need to go back there and face this. I just think that would be the best thing for you," It was more of an order than a suggestion. Kelly thought about it for a few minutes. She knew he was right.

"I guess you're right"

"Alright, now are you actually going to let Danny get away with sleeping on your shoulder?" Mac laughed.

"No," she elbowed Danny's rib. He stirred and moved to lean on the window.

………………………………………………………..

"How was Miami?" Stella asked when the three CSI's got back to the lab.

"Suckish"

"Fun"

"Great. We closed the case," Mac said.

"Kelly, why was it suckish?" Stella asked.

"It was like counseling all over again"

"No, it wasn't," Mac was confused.

"That's because I didn't tell you anything especially after the phone incident!" Kelly said. Mac nodded realizing why Kelly was mad at her college friend.

"What was the phone thing?" Stella asked remembering what Kelly said to Mac.

"Caitie said that Kelly answered Mac's phone at four in the morning," Danny was eager to make the situation uncomfortable for Kelly and Mac.

"It wasn't like that. I couldn't sleep and neither could he"

"That makes it sound better," Mac said sarcastically.

"I went for some coffee down in the lobby, and Mac was there. He spilled some on himself and was dealing with that when Caitie called. He handed me the phone and asked me to answer it. I did. That's it," Kelly explained.

"That's so unreasonable," Danny was giving them a hard time. Mac gave him a chilling look.

……………………………………………………..

"Hey," Hawkes kissed her when he saw her outside the lab.

"How about dinner? I have so many things to say about the trip," she told him. He consented.

……………………………………………………..

"Sounds like it was a fun trip," Stella laughed.

"I don't want to talk about it," Mac answered. She grinned.

"How about dinner at my place?"

"Sounds great"

………………………………………………………

"Don't spill, Mac," Stella joked. Mac turned almost as red as the wine they were having.

"It was coffee, Stell," he replied grinning. He held her hand in his, leaned in, and kissed her softly. They put their glasses on the small table in front of the couch. Stella leaned her head on his chest. He held her close. Mac twirled her hair with his finger. He kissed the top of her head then drifted off to sleep.

…………………………………………………….

"Kelly, I heard about your phone call," Lindsay greeted her that morning.

"Yep," Kelly replied. Lindsay laughed.

"Mac's phone," Lindsay shook her head. Kelly had a fake grin plastered on her face.

"Four in the morning coffee run. I hate being the rookie," Kelly laughed.

…………………………………………………….

"You're going to Texas aren't you?" Hawkes asked as Kelly packed a duffle.

"Yeah, I'll explain this when I get this worked out. Mac knows I'm gone. Actually, he told me to," she explained.

"Okay, I believe you," he kissed her.

**After Notes: I hope you liked this. I wrote most of it before I left. The rest I wrote now, but it has been on my mind for ten days. The sleeping thing was a dilema I faced in the suburban. I was sitting between the driver and another teacher. I couldn't sleep straight up so I had to lean. It was interesting. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Blue Shadowdancer, GregRox, and luf100! They rock. Hope you have a great day! It's good to be back! :D**


	35. The One With The Letter

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be rightfully together. Don't deny their love!**

**Notes: I guess I should say what happens in Texas. It might have some of the team in it. I would like to thank lily moonlight because she has gotten me through my writer's block. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Letter**

Kelly had the ticket in her hand. She went to the lab to say good-bye to everyone. She didn't know how long it was going to take to sort through this. She had left it for ten years. Ten years of emotions to get through would take a while.

"Danny, I'll see you around. I might even go to a Rangers game while I'm down there. Keep Hawkes in line. You have my permission to cuff him if you have to. You better not miss any opportunities to make fun of Mac," she smiled. She left the break room and went into Mac's office.

"Doesn't your flight leave in three hours?" Mac asked.

"Are you that excited to see me go?" she laughed. He smiled.

"I hope you find what you're looking for, Kelly," he honestly wished her the best luck.

"Thanks, Mac," she hugged him which shocked him greatly. She sighed. "Is that new cologne, Mac?"

"You were leaving," he reminded her. She walked out laughing as he blushed. She would never miss an opportunity to make him turn red.

………………………………………………

She dialed the number tentatively. It was only a day before that she decided to go back to Dallas. Sure it was just a taxi, but it was one step closer to facing her past. She had a plan for what she had to do. First she would go back to her home then to the cemetery where they were buried. The cab finally arrived. She told him the address that she cursed for ten years, that accursed Mockingbird Lane address.

………………………………………………..

"Here you go, ma'am," the driver told her. She paid him and got out. She saw a car in the drive way as the taxi drove off. She didn't know how anyone could live there after what happened. She remembered having to sell the house. She sold it to the first offer. It wasn't fair that she had to bury her family before they buried her. She should have had nieces and nephews. Her parents should have had grandchildren not that she was thinking of kids yet. It was a thought at the back of her head, but she never really wanted them. She loved her job. She decided that standing there made her look foolish. She went up and knocked on the door. Hopefully, it was the same family she sold the home to. She also hoped that they were hospitable since she hadn't called and said she was coming. The door opened.

"Can I help you?" a woman asked slowly. This was not the same person she sold the home to.

"I'm guessing you aren't Mrs. Jefferson," Kelly told her.

"I'm her sister. Who are you?"

"I sold the home to her. I grew up here. My name is De- Kelly Higgins," she almost called herself Detective Higgins, but she didn't. She wasn't a cop in Dallas.

"Hold on a minute," Kelly nodded. The sister closed the door for a moment. A couple minutes later the door opened to a woman that Kelly recognized. She sighed. Kelly sort of hoped that they wouldn't be hospitable.

"Come in," Mrs. Jefferson told her. Kelly went inside. It was the first time she had been back inside since they died. A wave of emotions hit her giving her a drowning sensation. Hot tears worked on melting her icy cold exterior.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Mrs. Jefferson's words snapped Kelly back into reality.

"Can I have a water, please, Mrs. Jefferson?" she asked knowing that she wouldn't want to be rude and refuse her hospitality. It was a very important thing in the South to have hospitality.

"Call me, Mandy, please. I will be back with your water in a minute. Make yourself at home," she left Kelly to her thoughts.

"_You can't catch me," a little girl squealed. A young boy who looked like her brother came racing down the stairs to catch her. She slipped as she ran. He stopped by her and helped her up._

"_Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded smiling. "Okay because you're it now." The chase was on._

Kelly looked back at the front door. It was painted black now. When she lived in the house, it was white.

"_Looking good, Kevin," she wolf-whistled at her brother as he got ready for his first date._

"_Thanks. What tie should I wear?" he asked nervously. He really liked the girl he was going out with._

"_Maroon. It brings out the color in your eyes," she tied the knot around his neck. "I think you're ready."_

She looked at the stairs again. There were so many memories in that house.

"_He's a good guy, Kevin," she assured him._

"_He's not good enough for you," he answered adamantly._

"_No one is ever good enough for me according to you. Sometimes you can be the worst," she sighed._

"_That's why you love me"_

"Here you go, Kelly," Mandy gave her a glass of water. "So what are you doing here?"

"I'm just visiting. I thought I would come back here and see what's happened"

"Where were you?" Mandy was getting close to interrogating her. Kelly wouldn't snap. It wasn't her place to argue especially since she had been so graciously taken in.

"New York City. I'm a detective there. Actually, I'm a crime scene investigator now," Kelly answered.

"Oh, I didn't expect that after what happened," Mandy was pushing her luck at getting answers. Kelly was flooded with the memories of what happened.

"_You don't want to do this!" Kelly yelled at Brian as he cocked the pistol. Kevin looked so helpless, but in the midst of his vulnerability there was peace. He gave Kelly a look. She didn't have control in that situation._

"_I do," Brian pulled the trigger. Kelly screamed as tears rolled down her face. She saw the lights go out of her brother's eyes. She saw him breathe his last. She didn't hear Brian come up behind her. She didn't hear him cock the gun. She felt something burning hot enter her shoulder. She blacked out._

"Thank you for having me here. I think I should go," Kelly's eyes were watering. She didn't know how she was going to face going to the cemetery. Her phone rang. She ignored it without looking at the number. She said good-bye to Mandy and called a taxi.

………………………………………………………..

Kelly sat up on her bed of the hotel. It was a mistake coming back to Dallas. She was asleep for about half the night but was awakened by another dream. She sighed. It was too early to call Mac to talk so she went running. She remembered the streets because she had lived there for her entire life. She kept her mind clear of thoughts.

…………………………………………………………

She walked on the grass up to her brother's grave. She knelt down with tears rolling down her face. She wanted him to be back. She wanted to go back in time to when they would write each other in the summer when they weren't together. They rarely ever fought. She wanted to hold him close again. She wanted to see his words on paper. She kept all of his letters in a box left unopened in New York. She knew what she needed to do. She went back to the hotel.

………………………………………………………

She bit the pen cap as she thought about what to write. She would tell him about her life. About what was going on with her.

_Kevin,_

_There are so many words that it is impossible to express how much I miss you. How much I need you and love you. My world is so much colder without you here. Maybe it's just New York. I think you would like my coworkers. I'm a crime scene investigator now. I met a great guy at the lab though I'm sure you would say that he's not good enough for me. You never could approve of a guy I was dating. __You would tell me that he doesn't treat me right. I would tell you that you're wrong even if you almost never are. He treats me as he should. He's a doctor too. Now, he's a CSI like me. His name's Sheldon Hawkes. We've been dating for a year and a half now. You can have your victory dance because we did break up for two weeks when he accused me of cheating on him with my boss. It's rather humorous. I think that maybe he might ask me something soon. We still have so much to learn about each other. It's been a hard few months. I haven't trusted him, and he hasn't trusted me. I guess it doesn't help that I've trusted my boss more than him. _

_Mac Taylor, my boss, is one of the most caring men I know. He's helped me a lot this year. He's my enemy, my friend, my leader, my confidante, my mentor, and of course my boss. We spent a lot of time fighting until he just sat me down, and we talked. Actually, we went to Central Park and talked then I saved his butt when he went missing. I know that you would tell me to not hold that against him, but it's too much fun to let that slide. I think you would like Mac. I have a great respect for him. I don't know if he knows how much he is respected by everyone. I give him a hard time, but that's probably because he reminds me of you. He's an honorable man. He has a lot of integrity. He is a great role model. I think that I trust him more than anyone else. I just won't give him the satisfaction of knowing that or anyone else for that matter._

_I think the person most like Jonathon is Danny Messer. He's my best guy friend behind Hawkes. He's funny and smart, but I would never ever date him. He is a player. Right now he is dating someone else in the lab. Her name is Lindsay. She's a great person, but she has been hurt by Danny. He cheated on her but finally apologized. I'm happy they are dating again. I think they have finally found what they are looking for. I think he's going to pop the question soon, but I'm not sure. I know how much they love each other. I hope it works out. The team was pulled apart when they fought. _

_I love the team. They are family now. Without them I don't know what I would do. I think you would like Stella Bonasera. She's like an older sister. You knew how much I wished I had an older sister. I probably look up to her more since she's dating Mac. They've been dating almost two years now. You can tell how much they love each other. They remind me of Mom and Dad because of how much they care about each other. They are so happy together. It makes it easier to make jokes if the boss isn't mad at me._

_Remember how I used to like to date the guys who joked around and played sports? That pretty much describes Don Flack. He's a good guy. He's like Danny in the way that he's a playboy. He's more sensitive though. I think that's why he has found himself a good gal. Her name's Jessica Angell. Yes, her last name actually is Angell. They work well together. They are both great detectives and always great to work with. _

_I miss you, Kevin. You would like New York City. It's cold like you like it. It snowed on Christmas. I remember how much we used to wish it would snow on Christmas, here, in Dallas. I miss writing you when I was at college. You should have come to K-State with me. I know that you had the scholarship to Texas A&M, but I wish we would have been able to spend those years together._

_I miss you as always,_

_Kelly_

She folded the letter and went back to the cemetery. Kelly once again knelt down by the grave and placed her letter in front of the tomb stone. She got up and left without another glance back. It was too painful. There were tearstains on that letter. She decided then that she wasn't going home when she went to Dallas. She didn't know why she fought it, but New York City was her home. She dialed a familiar number.

"Hello"

"I'm coming home"

**After Notes: I hope you liked that one. It's not a funny one. It wasn't meant to be a funny one. I still have to have her tell Hawkes what happened ten years ago. I will. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Bonasera, GregRox, and CSIMiami17! They rock my world! Hope you had a great day! :D**


	36. The One With The Deafening Silence

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. You know they belong together as do I.**

**Notes: This is the third one shot that has been influenced by lily moonlight. It's the second one dedicated to her. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Deafening Silence**

_No one heard him over the sounds of rain flooding from the heavens. He wasn't meant to be heard. He wasn't meant to be seen. And he certainly wasn't meant to be there. He wasn't supposed to be doing what he was doing. It was certainly morally and legally wrong. Every fiber in him told him not to do what he was going to do. He ignored that and raised his weapon. He fired. She fell. He ran._

………………………………………………..

"Morning," Mac told her when she got to the lab that day.

"Morning, Mac," Stella replied. He tossed the case file to her. "Ah yes, a case file. Very romantic, Mac." He laughed.

"I thought you would want to work this case," he got his kit from the table. She picked hers up from the ground.

……………………………………………

"It's a beautiful day," Stella told him. It was pouring down rain.

"You're joking right?" Mac asked.

"No, it's a beautiful day somewhere," she replied. He nodded. They entered the building and were met by Detective Flack.

"You guys finally got here! I was about to go looking for you," Flack was a little angry.

"Traffic," Mac answered. Flack nodded. The traffic was a killer that day because of the storm.

………………………………………………..

"Welcome home," Hawkes hugged her as he met her at her gate.

"You didn't have to meet me here," Kelly whispered.

"I wanted to. I missed you," he told her. He kissed her forehead and rocked her back and forth.

………………………………………………..

"Stella, do you have the results?" Mac asked impatiently.

"Not yet. Patience is a virtue, Mac," she answered. He stopped tapping the table. "Thank you." He left her to work.

……………………………………………………

"Here are the results," Stella tossed them to Mac. She could tell that he was anxiously waiting for a lead.

"Thanks," he said reading the paper. Stella walked over and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up.

"What's wrong? I've known you for long enough to know that something's bugging you. Don't lie either," she questioned him.

"This case is bugging me. I don't know why, but something seems wrong," he told her.

"It's a pretty straight forward case. Autopsy," she thought suddenly. She thought he went to autopsy, and apparently he thought she went. They stood up and walked quickly to autopsy.

"Oh, you two finally decided to show up," Sid told them. They looked at each other and grinned.

"Sorry, we forgot," Mac explained.

"Well, you won't forget this," Sid gave them the autopsy report.

……………………………………………………………

"How about we go to lunch and talk about the case?" Mac suggested.

"Sure," Stella put her coat on. They walked the stairs down. They didn't like riding in elevators during storms. Kelly and Hawkes knew why.

"Should we drive or walk or get a cab?" Mac asked.

"You afraid of the rain? Let's walk"

"Okay," Mac walked with her through the water. It was several inches deep. An umbrella was pointless.

………………………………………………………………..

_He walked by them as they laughed. He saw the love in their eyes. He despised them. He wanted them to hurt. He walked slower now anticipating their next moves. He watched the woman. He watched the man take her hand. He saw the lack of care that they were soaking wet. He hated them. He had to do something. He had left something at their scene. Something that connected to him to the murder. He raised his gun and fired. She fell. She fell, and he ran. _

"Stella!" Mac yelled as he fell to his knees. He fumbled inside his jacket for a radio. Where was his luck when he needed it? He finally gripped the radio as he put pressure on Stella's shoulder. She was coughing. He could barely hear the words leave his lips. The world was spinning fast. He didn't notice the ambulance show up behind him. He saw them take Stella away and felt powerless. He couldn't do anything, and he couldn't face that.

…………………………………………………

"Hello," Kelly answered her phone. She was eating lunch with Hawkes.

"Stella's been shot," Flack told her. Kelly sprayed her drink on the table.

"What?!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Just get to the lab, pronto," Flack hung up. Hawkes was confused and had Sprite in his face.

"Sorry, but Stella's been shot," she told him quickly. He dried his face. He didn't know what to say.

"Lab?" he asked. She nodded. They paid and got the heck out of there.

……………………………………………….

"I don't think he should work this case," Lindsay told the others. They nodded in agreement. You wouldn't want to stick Mac in that interrogation room. Though who would be the one to tell him to back off the case? Out of process of elimination and because she was the only one who didn't fear Mac, Kelly was chosen. She actually was a little scared this time. The others abandoned her. She rested her hand on her holster. She wasn't expecting to use her gun, but it made her feel safer.

"Mac, we should talk," she told him when he got into the lab. Her heart was pounding. What was his reaction going to be there?

"Yeah," he said impatience threaded in that word. Kelly was starting to wish she wasn't so nervous.

"We… uh… er… thi-"

"Yes?" Mac was getting angry at her. Kelly kind of wanted to shrink down. She had been the target of his anger but not his rage.

"We think you should back off the case," Kelly replied at one hundred miles an hour. Mac blinked once trying to find an alternative meaning to that phrase.

"We?"

"Danny, Lindsay, Hawkes, and myself. Mac, you can't work this one," Kelly was getting more confident.

"Does it look like I care what you think?" he asked gruffly. Kelly shot a glare.

"You know what, Mac? We are only doing this because we care about you. You're obviously hurting," Kelly told him understanding this situation.

"You wouldn't understand," he said instantly regretting his choice of words.

"I wouldn't understand? How dare you say that! You should know that I of all people would understand. Now, if you weren't in this state I would be suspended for telling you this. Mac, you are leaving this lab because we can't have you compromise the evidence. Go home," she ordered. He stood his ground. She did the same.

"You think that my judgment is impaired? Kelly, you remember your last suspension," Mac threatened. Kelly didn't move from her spot. Danny, Lindsay, and Hawkes were watching this safely from the elevator. It wasn't going as well as they thought it would.

"I do remember that suspension. I also remember that when I was acting as I was that you made me talk to you. I told you everything. I'm going to tell you something else too. Stella isn't dead. She's in surgery. I saw the lights go from my brother's eyes because of what I did. This isn't your fault. Either go home or to the hospital. You are getting the heck out of this lab," she whispered fiercely. He stood where he was. He never expected her to say this to him. She knew when to back down. She was in the wrong. Well, she was from his point of view.

"What are you doing, Kelly?" he spat.

"I'm doing the same you would do to me if Hawkes was shot. You know how much the team means to me. Do you honestly think that we can't handle this case? You hired us because we were the best at what we do. That's what you tell us. But if you don't honestly believe that, why would you say that? You are the most honest person I know so honestly I'm telling that as someone who cares about you go to the hospital," Kelly was starting to move forward causing Mac to back up.

"Look, Kelly, I'm not leaving this lab," he was losing this battle.

"But yes you are. Mac, stop fighting. You know you wouldn't be able to concentrate with her in the hospital. You know that you would make a mistake. Yes, Mac, even _you _would make a mistake. Just go, Mac, just go," and with that he left. Kelly had a smile on her face. It took some of her interrogation tactics to get him to leave.

"Good job," Hawkes told her. She nodded. For some reason, it was different yelling at Mac now. Probably because of going to Dallas and to her brother's grave.

"Let's get this case closed," Kelly sighed. They just wanted this to be over. Tensions were going to run high when Stella came back. They all sensed that.

……………………………………………………

"Hey," Mac greeted her since she was awake.

"I hate this," she told him. "It's not that bad of a wound."

"They said that it was two inches above your heart, Stell," he chuckled at her stubbornness. He still looked a little defeated.

"How did they get you here instead of at the lab?" she asked.

"Can't I just be here for you?" Mac asked in a mock offended manner. Stella smiled.

"Mac, I know you too well," she replied. He sighed.

"I think Kelly was pretty near punching me to get me out of the lab. They abandoned her. I think she was shaking at first," he told her holding her hand.

"Well, I'm glad you're here," she smiled. He kissed her hand.

"You should be out of here in a few days then I'll look after you," he told her. The hours passed, and they talked, but that wasn't a surprise. He watched her sleep as the radio softly played.

_I promised you the world again  
__Everything within my hands  
__All the riches one could dream  
__They will come from me_

_I hoped that you could understand  
__That is not what I had planned  
__Please don't worry now  
__It will turn around_

'_Cause I need more time  
__Just a few more months and we'll be fine  
__So say what's on your mind  
_'_Cause I can't figure out just what's inside_

_I hoped that you could understand  
__That this is not what I had planned  
__Please don't worry now  
__It will turn around_

'_Cause I need more time  
__Just a few more months and we'll be fine  
__So say what's on your mind  
_'_Cause I can't figure out just what's inside  
__So say alright  
_'_Cause I know we can make it if we try  
_'_Cause I need more time  
__Just a few more months and we'll be fine_

_We're off to new lands  
__So hold on to my hands  
__It's gonna be alright  
__It's a whole lot brighter  
__So stand by the fire  
__It's gonna be alright  
__Yeah, the road gets harder  
__But it's not much farther  
__It's gonna be alright  
__You know it ain't easy  
__Please believe me  
__It's gonna be alright_

_Please don't worry now  
__Yeah, please don't worry now  
__Oh, please don't worry now  
__'Cause it will turn around_

'_Cause I need more time  
__Just a few more months and we'll be fine  
__So say what's on your mind  
_'_Cause I can't figure out just what's inside  
__So say alright  
_'_Cause I know we can make it if we try  
_'_Cause I need more time  
__Just a few more months and we'll be fine_

Mac drifted off to sleep next to Stella wishing that this was all a dream.

…………………………………………………….

_He stood watching four CSI's go outside to process the scene. He noticed how affected they were by the missing team member. He thought of the gun dumped in the second trash can at Grand Central Station. He laughed. He saw their effort as futile. They rain had washed away evidence. He laughed again. He was drawing attention to himself, but he didn't care. He felt invincible. He noticed the touches between investigators. He despised the cops. All cops. He was getting brave and cocky._

"_You'll never catch him. You can't deal with the rain. Lost your evidence, have you?" he yelled ticking off the wrong CSI._

"You want to say that again," Kelly took off her latex gloves.

"Kelly, it's just a New Yorker get over him. Concentrate on what cannot lie, the evidence," Hawkes tried to calm her down.

"He said him. I think this guy knows something," Kelly whispered fiercely.

"_Come on, can't take the heat. We all know that you can't do your job. I hope your CSI dies," he shouted. The man let her go._

"I don't think you want to say that," Kelly went out from under the tape and shoved him against the wall.

"_Look what you're doing. I think you are assaulting me," he pointed out._

"Whatever," Kelly let go of him, turned around, and took a step to walk off. She then had a second thought, turned back around, and punched him as hard as she could in the jaw. She heard something crack. "I don't really care at this point." She walked away.

…………………………………………………

"Detective Higgins," Sinclair called after her. She knew she was in a lot of trouble. She stopped and faced the Chief of Detectives.

"Yes, sir," she tried to be as polite as possible. She wasn't fooling anyone.

"We may have let your interrogation tactics slide, but you assaulted a civilian," he told her sternly.

"He's guilty. We proved that," she protested.

"It doesn't matter, Detective Higgins. You're being suspended. Two weeks without pay. You should just be happy that he isn't pressing charges," he walked off after taking her gun and badge. She mentally kicked herself. Now she had the wonderful job of telling the team and Mac since it would be better coming from her than Sinclair.

………………………………………………….

"Hey guys," she told them when they met her outside.

"What's up?" Danny asked.

"I've been suspended again," she sighed. A look of disbelief passed through the eyes of her friends.

"Why?" Lindsay questioned.

"I assaulted a civilian," she rolled her eyes. Hawkes stayed silent.

…………………………………………………

Mac was sitting by Stella's bedside talking to her. They were laughing. Kelly hated having to come in right then, but she had to. She knocked on the door and entered.

"Hey," Mac was surprised to see her there.

"Well, we solved the case," she started with that. Yes, that was a good place to start. Good news first. Normally, people liked it the other way. Bad news first. But normalcy wasn't really her style.

"I heard. What are you doing here?" Mac asked.

"Well, I came in to say hi to Stella and make sure she's okay which she is. Mac, can I talk to you outside for a minute?" she asked. He nodded and got up.

"What's wrong?" he automatically knew that whatever she was going to tell him wasn't good. She sighed which also told him he was right.

"How do I say this? Well, I'm suspended after breaking the guy's jaw," she blurted out catching Mac off guard.

"I would say that I'm surprised, but then I would be sort of lying. Whose jaw?"

"The guy who shot Stella. He was provoking me, Mac. It was a good reason. I swear, well, it wasn't an accident. But you have to give me some credit for breaking his jaw with one punch," Kelly told him. Mac shook his head.

"You over reacted, Kelly. Sinclair made the right choice," Mac didn't say any more on the subject.

"Well, it's for two weeks. I guess I'll see you then. I hope Stella gets better soon," she left him standing there still angry at her for what she said. He walked back into the hospital room.

"Sinclair suspended her for assaulting a civilian. She said it was the guy who shot you," Mac told her.

"Are you surprised that she's suspended?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Honestly, I'm not. Do you want anything? I'll get you a water or something," he offered.

"I'm good, Mac, this isn't your fault," she told him. He nodded but didn't let the guilt go.

"Well, I'm going to look after you. I love you, Stell," he told her sitting by her.

"I know, Mac, I know"

………………………………………………..

_If I don't say this now I will surely break  
__As I'm leaving the one I want to take  
__Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait  
__My heart has started to separate_

_Oh, oh, oh  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Be my baby  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Be my baby  
__I'll look after you_

_There now, steady love, so few come and don't go  
__Will you won't you, be the one I always know?  
__When I'm losing my control, the city spins around  
__You're the only one who knows, you slow it down_

_Oh, oh, oh  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Be my baby  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Be my baby  
__I'll look after you  
__And I'll look after you_

_If ever there was a doubt  
__My love she leans into me  
__This most assuredly counts  
__She says most assuredly_

_Oh, oh, oh  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Be my baby  
__I'll look after you  
__After you  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Be my baby  
__Oh, oh, oh_

_It's always have but never hold  
__You've begun to feel like home  
__What's mine is yours to leave or take  
__What's mine is yours to make your own_

_Oh, oh, oh  
__Oh, oh, oh  
__Be my baby  
__Oh, oh, oh_

……………………………………….

**After Notes: My first one over three thousand words! I'm excited. If you guys want a one shot dedicated to you, you have to send me a request. I hope this one lived up to standards. Sometimes (recently), I have bad writer's block. I have gotten some help from lily moonlight, a brilliant writer. Please, please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: GregRox, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Bonasera, Blue Shadowdancer, and CSIMiami17! They rock! I almost forgot. The first song is **_**More Time**_** by **_**Needtobreathe**_**. The second song is **_**Look After You**_** by **_**The Fray**_**. Ironically, Look After You is the title of the trequel (so what if that's not a word) I'm going to be working on with luf100, iluvthejoebros, and CSIMiami17. Just saying. It's not on fanfiction. Hope you had a great day! :D**


	37. The One With Lindsay In Charge

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines though the last time I had one that was based off FRIENDS was The One With The What If. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together because they should be, and we all know that.**

**Notes: I've been told to go on with right after Kelly's been suspended again. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With Lindsay In Charge**

"_So who's in charge?" Danny asked Mac. He would ask that. Mac rolled his eyes at Danny's eagerness._

"_Lindsay," he told him. Danny and Hawkes groaned while Lindsay smiled. Mac walked out of the lab. Lindsay turned to the others._

"_I believe you two have worked to do," she told them smugly. They were about to protest but went to work. She smiled. She almost went and claimed Mac's office as her own, but she didn't. Not yet anyway._

…………………………………………………_._

"_Lindsay, what are we supposed to do? Adam's out sick, and there are four scenes to go to," Danny asked trying to annoy her. He had already called in someone from the night shift. Lindsay rolled her eyes._

"_Call the night shift," she told him. He laughed, and she realized that it was a joke. She punched his arm jokingly. "Because of that you get the scene at the dump." She grinned mischievously. Danny sighed. Her reign of terror was only beginning. _

"_Fine," he grabbed his kit and walked out. She was still smiling as he left. _

……………………………………………………_._

"_Danny, I think you missed something," Lindsay told him looking at the case file. She had a straight face. She was going to put him through as much as she could while she was boss._

"_What?! That's not possible," he protested. Lindsay still had a straight face._

"_Go back to the scene," Lindsay ordered. Danny seethed silently, but he went back to the dump. Lindsay laughed. This was fun. She wondered how Mac could not abuse this power especially when Kelly aggravated him. _

……………………………………………………

"_Danny, why are you calling?" Mac asked angrily. _

"_Lindsay's abusing this new power. She is making me go back to the dump I spent the entire day at," he explained._

"_And this is supposed to surprise me how?" Mac hung up. Danny groaned._

"_Why did Danny call?" Stella asked._

"_To say that Lindsay's abusing her power. I don't believe him. That just doesn't sound like her," Mac had no idea._

…………………………………………………_._

"_Hawkes, I want those results," she said. Lindsay was happy with this new position of power. She got to have her own case and over see the other cases. _

"_I'm going as fast as I can. Do you want me to do this fast or right?" Hawkes said as Danny happened to pass by. _

"_That's what she said," Danny laughed._

"_Danny, get back to work! Hawkes, I want those results!" Lindsay was being very bossy. It was like a concentration camp. Work, work, work! _

"_Lindsay, this isn't Auschwitz," Hawkes told her. "And you aren't the S.S."_

"_Arbeit Macht Frei," Lindsay walked off. The guys were a little afraid. They looked at each other but got to work. Of course, Lindsay was only putting them through this. Mac wouldn't believe them over her. _

"_She's freaking me out," Hawkes told Danny._

"_Me too. I tried to call Mac, but he wouldn't believe me," Danny replied._

"_And she's being nice to everyone else. If only Kelly was here, she wouldn't put up with this," Hawkes sighed. _

"_I have to say that was a nice punch," Danny complimented her even though she wasn't there. Hawkes nodded._

"_But she got herself suspended again," Hawkes ran some DNA through CODIS._

"_I'm sure that she and Mac are going to be at each other's throats again when she comes back," Danny told him. Hawkes looked a little confused. "Did you see the look they gave each other when he left? It was like daggers."_

"_It will be back to normal," Hawkes laughed. On a more serious note he added, "It's partly our fault since we abandoned her."_

"_Yeah. Great, we have to get back to work. Hitler's coming back over," Danny tilted his head toward the oncoming Lindsay. The guys were suddenly very busy._

"_How are my workers doing?" Lindsay smiled. They glared. Something was going to happen to their new boss. Hawkes looked at his watch._

"_Danny, it's lunch," he told him. They breathed a sigh of relief._

"_Can I come?"_

"_Sorry, reservations for two," Danny and Hawkes quickly walked out laughing._

"_How about I call Kelly and see if she wants to eat with us?" Danny asked. Kelly would know how to deal with Lindsay. Hawkes nodded. Danny dialed Kelly's number._

"_Yeah," Kelly answered._

"_Want to meet Hawkes and I for lunch?" Danny asked._

"_Sure. Ray's sound good?" she inquired._

"_Yeah sounds great. We have to talk to you," Danny hung up._

……………………………………………………_.._

"_What do you guys want to talk to me about?" she asked laughing at how defeated the two of them looked._

"_Lindsay," Hawkes replied._

"_She's acting like the Nazis," Danny explained. Kelly laughed. Lindsay would never do such a thing. _

"_We're serious. She is abusing her power," Hawkes told her. Kelly was still laughing._

"_Look, that doesn't sound like Lindsay," Kelly said as Danny's phone rang._

"_Great, it's Hitler," he told the others._

"_Answer it," Hawkes replied._

"_Hello," Danny told her._

"_Where are you?" Lindsay asked._

"_Ray's"_

"_That really narrows it down. There's got to be at least a hundred Ray's in the city. I need you guys back up here," Lindsay hung up. Danny groaned._

"_Hitler's looking for her escapee's," Danny told Hawkes making him groan. They left to go back to 'Auschwitz.'_

Danny woke up with a start. He shook his head. He had the weirdest dream. Mac left Lindsay in charge. He would probably leave her in charge, but she wouldn't have a Nazi regime. He looked at his clock. _Crap!_ He was going to be late to work. He raced to change clothes. He rushed to the lab, but he was thirty minutes late. Mac noticed.

"You're late," Mac greeted him without looking up from a case file. _Well, obviously I'm late._ Danny stayed silent though.

"Yeah, aren't you taking the day?" Danny asked.

"I am but, I was about to find Lindsay. I'm leaving her in charge," Mac replied not surprising Danny at all. He nodded.

………………………………………………

"How's it like being the boss?" Danny asked. Lindsay smiled.

"Amazing! I don't want Mac to come back," Lindsay replied.

"Note to self, tell Mac everything Lindsay said," Danny mumbled smiling. Lindsay laughed.

"You have a scene Danny. Body found in a dumpster," Lindsay told him.

"Déjà vu," Danny said. Lindsay was confused. "Never mind."

……………………………………………….

"Lindsay's a cool boss," Hawkes told Danny.

"I know. I was worried that she would have some sort of Nazi regime," Danny said laughing.

"Guys, how are your cases going?" Lindsay asked walking in.

"Good, mine's pretty straight forward. How about yours Danny?"

"Great," Danny replied. They continued talking on the case.

………………………………………………

"Mac, you really don't have to look after me. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself," Stella assured him.

"But I am, and I will. Stell, you are the most important person in my life," he told her. She smiled. She squeezed his hand. "Want to watch a movie?"

"Yeah, somewhere I have _Twelve Angry Men_," Stella replied.

"You are relaxing, and you want to watch a movie about a jury?" Mac asked incredulously.

"I'm turning into you," she laughed. He smiled wryly.

"I resent that"

……………………………………………..

"Hey," Hawkes came inside and saw Kelly putting her shoes on as if she was going to go for a run.

"Hey," she replied. "I'm going to go running. I'm so bored." She laughed bringing a smile to his face.

"Okay," and with that she left.

……………………………………………………..

"Morning, Hawkes," Lindsay told him.

"Still enjoying being boss?" he asked.

"A little. The paperwork is killer. What did I do to Mac?" she smiled. "How's your case going?"

"Good, I'm going down to interrogation. We finally have a suspect," Hawkes replied. He left her. Danny came in five minutes or so later.

"Hey, Montana, I mean Detective Monroe," he saluted. Lindsay found a smile unwillingly etched on her face.

"Danny, get to work," she said laughing. Now she knew what Mac went through with his CSI's teasing him. She sort of felt bad for him. Danny left her in the break room. The next few days passed quickly. The cases solved. Lindsay was trying out sitting at Mac's desk. Mac came back to the lab.

"Lindsay, what the heck are you doing?" he asked walking into his office. She stood up quickly knocking over her case file.

"I'm sorry, Mac. I didn't expect you to be back now," Lindsay picked up her case file a little freaked out and on edge. "Glad to see you back, Mac." She walked out quickly obviously embarrassed. She gave an acknowledging nod to Mac as she opened the door.

…………………………………………………………

Finally, two weeks was over. Kelly entered the lab a little flustered. She had a run in with Sinclair who gave her gun and badge back to her. She was now going to see everyone for the first time in days with the exception of Hawkes.

"Hey, Kelly," Lindsay greeted her.

"How was being boss for a few days?" Kelly asked.

"Amazing!"

"I bet it was," Kelly laughed.

"Oh, I before I forget. Stella's back. I think she badgered Mac into letting her come back on lab duty," Lindsay told Kelly.

"Not that he minds," Kelly mumbled so that Lindsay could hear. They both laughed. Mac walked in. Of course he walked in while they were making a joke about him. Kelly gave him a cold look that he matched.

"Good to see you, Linds," Kelly walked out. Mac paused for a moment. He ought to thank her for forcing him out of the lab.

"Kelly, wait," he called after her. "Let's talk."

"You know what, Mac? I'm sick of talking. Every time we talk I get clobbered. Somehow even when we don't, I still get clobbered. I'm sick of it. Nothing changed for me going to Texas. I think it made things worse. Now I have to tell Hawkes why I went to Texas and why we've been talking. I'm not a piece of machinery that can be fixed. I'm a person. I think that my opinion should be counted. Just stay away from me. I'm sick of being hurt, Mac, I'm sick of it," she vented her feelings on him and left him standing there. For some reason, she had tears in her eyes. She hated bringing up the past. There was a reason the saying was to let sleeping dogs lie.

……………………………………………………………

"Kelly, are you okay?" Stella asked. Kelly looked up from where she was sitting in the trace lab.

"Yeah, I'm just venting," she wiped her eyes. She was also lying.

"Okay, you know you can tell me anything," Stella told her.

"I know, but I have to deal with this one myself," she assured her. She started working again when she saw Mac come in. He was careful to avoid her.

"Stell, do you have anything on that trace?" he asked. The air was icy cold. It didn't go unnoticed by Stella.

"Not yet," she told him. He stayed there. Kelly gave the trace to Adam to run and left.

………………………………………………………….

"I told you that Mac and Kelly would be at each other's throats," Danny told Hawkes. He was confused.

"You never said that"

"Oh yeah, that was a dream I had. Lindsay had a Nazi regime," Danny said making Hawkes laugh.

"Yeah, Lindsay had a Nazi regime. I can't picture that."

……………………………………………………………

"Hawkes, we need to talk. I need to tell you about why I went to Texas," Kelly told him as they walked from the lab.

"Okay"

"Well, Mac and I were talking about something that happened ten years ago," from then on she told him the entire story. It took her about an hour to get through it. It was still hard even the second time through. She told him why she was fighting with Mac. She talked until she couldn't talk anymore. Hawkes had never seen her cry until now. He didn't know what to do.

"Oh," he said. "I don't really know what to do."

"Neither do I," she said as he held her in his arms. They were in the park watching the sun set. It was the end of shift. The dark red and purple hues reflected the somber mood of the couple.

……………………………………………

_When you try your best but don't succeed  
__When you get what you want but not what you need  
__When you feel so tired but you can't sleep  
__Stuck in reverse_

_And the tears come streaming down your face  
__When you lose something you can't replace  
__When you love someone but it goes to waste  
__Could it be worse?_

_Lights will guide you home  
__And ignite your bones  
__And I will try to fix you_

_And high above or down below  
__When you're too in love to let it go  
__But if you never try you never know  
__Just what you're worth_

_Lights will guide you home  
__And ignite your bones  
__And I will try to fix you_

_Tears stream down your face  
__When you lose something you cannot replace  
__Tears stream down your face  
__And I  
__  
Tears stream down your face  
__I promise you I will learn from my mistakes  
__Tears stream down you face  
__And I_

_Lights will guide you home  
__And ignite your bones  
__And I will try to fix you_

……………………………………………………

**After Notes: I hope you guys liked that one. I hope you realized that the first part in italics was a dream. The German phrase means work sets you free. It was put over the entrances to the concentration camps. It really was an evil time. I hope you all remember that. If we don't learn our history, we are doomed to repeat it. The song at the end is **_**Fix You**_** by **_**Coldplay**_**. I thought it fit. It's been on my mind for a while. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: GregRox, EverythingIsConnected, luf100, lily moonlight, Bonasera, CSIMiami17, and Blue Shadowdancer! They rock! Hope you all had a great day! :D**


	38. The One With A Little Regret

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: The title is from Sierra. It is way better than the one I came up with. Well, I don't know what else to say (that might be a first). Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With A Little Regret**

"Kelly, Mac wants to see you in his office after shift," Danny told her. _What did I do? I was like five minutes late this morning. Or was it when I left out a tool in reconstruction? _Kelly was a little worried. She didn't know what she did. She knew she did something. And wasn't that a great feeling? Knowing you've done something, but having no idea what. Kelly gave Danny an acknowledgement that she understood.

"Okay," it wasn't like she had that much of a choice.

"He means talk, Kelly"

"I know. I'm not an idiot," Kelly sighed. She didn't want to talk to Mac. She thought she made that perfectly clear the week before. Since then, she had successfully managed to stay clear of him. Of course, everyone knew something was up. Neither would talk about it since it was private. Hawkes now knew, but he wouldn't even hint or acknowledge that he knew. He knew how Kelly hated to be pitied. He also knew how important she was to him.

"Game tonight?" Danny asked.

"You know it. Flack coming?" she wondered.

"Yeah, Sullivan's or your place?" Danny questioned.

"Sullivan's. I like to give Hawkes some sort of a warning if I'm having y'all over," she joked.

"Hmph," Danny sounded in mock hurt. Kelly smiled.

"How come we never go to your place?" Kelly asked.

"Because Lindsay and I are doing something," Danny grinned.

"I didn't need to know that," Kelly said quickly. He laughed.

"I say we crash at Flack's place. Think that would ruin the mood if Flack and Angell found us watching the game?" he wondered sarcastically.

"Definitely. So we're watching at his place tonight, right?" Kelly asked seriously.

"Yeah, payback for getting us in trouble with Mac," he told her.

"When were we in trouble with Mac?" Kelly asked.

"Remember that month of straight trash duty? Well, that was it," Danny told her. Kelly nodded. Payback would be excellent. Kelly rubbed her hands together as if she was thinking of an evil plan. Danny laughed.

………………………………………………

"So what is that fight about?" Stella asked Mac. She thought maybe he would tell her. He told her everything most of the time.

"I can't tell. It's a personal thing really. I shouldn't have made her talk," he replied.

"Mac, I think you did the right thing in making her talk," she said trying to get him to open up on it.

"She cried, Stell. I've never seen her break down like that. I don't blame her for being mad at me"

………………………………………………..

"Flack, are you watching the game tonight?" Kelly asked.

"No, I have a date tonight with Angell," Flack replied. Kelly and Danny looked at each other and smiled.

"Have fun. I guess you will tell us all about it in the morning," Kelly said.

"I don't get why you never tell us about your love life," Flack said aloud.

"It's private," she tried to get them to understand.

"Or she doesn't have one," Danny dug.

"Or I don't have the obsessive need to talk about my private and personal life," Kelly told them. They looked like they were trying to give the appearance of hurt. Kelly laughed.

…………………………………………………….

It was quiet. No one said a word. Mac and Kelly shared a cold icy glance. She decided to leave the room.

"And I thought this was going to be awkward," Lindsay whispered to Danny. He grinned.

……………………………………………………

"Come in," Mac said when she knocked. He knew she had her guard up. She let it down for a little while, and she got burned. She said nothing though. He could see a blizzard of mixed emotions trying to untangle themselves behind her eyes.

"I want to apologize," Mac stated simply.

"You should," Kelly told him bluntly yet sharply. She was trying to make him feel maybe just a fraction of the hurt she felt.

"I should have never made you talk. Had I known how much it would have hurt you, I would have never even brought it up"

"What did you expect?! I would just be okay with that? I was okay with the way I was. I hate who I am now. I trusted you more than anyone else. You used that trust to get to know something. Just for yourself. I never expected you to do that. How much do you want me to see me cry, Mac? Huh, because I'm getting dangerously close. This is all you too so don't even go back on my past," she didn't let her voice rise, but the words cut as deep as she let them. Mac knew it was truth too. He let her rant on and on.

"Will you at least think about the apology?" he asked as she walked out tears stinging her eyes. She paused for a moment but walked out without looking back. Danny was waiting to put their 'evil' plan into action. She walked past him quickly.

"Kelly, wait up!" he called jogging after her.

"I don't want to talk. Just leave me alone!" she snapped angrily. She looked back for a moment but kept going. It was enough. He saw something in her eyes. He swore it was a tear. What the heck did Mac say top her? He had a decision before him. Confront Mac because something was definitely up or do nothing.

………………………………………………..

Kelly turned around. She had thought long and hard on what Mac said. Maybe she could find it in her heart to forgive him. She had found some peace when she talked to him. Some, but not much. Maybe he would still be there.

………………………………………………….

Kelly walked back into the lab. It was two hours since she left. Mac was actually still there. He was working on paperwork. Of course he would still be there. She laughed to herself.

"Mac," she said walking into his office. He was surprised to say the least. He didn't expect her to come back. He thought she looked a little surprised to see him still at the lab.

"Yes," he answered putting the cap on his pen to give her his full attention.

"I thought about what you said, and maybe I can accept the fact that you messed up," she told him. _More like messed up big time. Seriously, what was he thinking? _He nodded.

"Okay"

"Good night, Mac," she said walking out.

"Night," he told her.

**Notes: Short, I know. I needed this chapter there so I could have a better one shot ahead, but Mac and Kelly needed to be on better terms for that. I would like to thank Sierra again for the title and Sarry for helping me with this one shot. Please review! I would like to thank me reviewers: Lyric Mania, luf100, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Bonasera, CSIMiami17, GregRox, and Blue Shadowdancer! They are amazing. Now I remember why this chapter is so short. I had to write two other chapters. One wasn't even for a story of mine. Hope you all had a great day! :D**


	39. The One With The Western Theme

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I came up with this idea at a dance. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Western Theme**

"Okay, so if I teach you how to do a barn dance, I get a Benjamin?" Kelly asked.

"Yes"

"Why do you need to know how to country dance, Mac?"

"It's some sort of party I'm required to go to. I want to know so I don't make a fool out of myself," he explained.

"Okay, fine I can teach you how to dance," Kelly told him.

…………………………………………………

"Alright, now the fact that I know how to dance doesn't leave this room, Mac. I'd never live this one down," she said in a matter of fact manner. She put her iPod into a dock and turned some country music on. Of course _Nothing On But The Radio_ by _Gary Allan _came on.

"Alright Mac, this is called a barn dance. You dance with everyone in this. I'll teach you this slowly so you can get it," Kelly laughed. Mac shot a glare but let her comment slide. "Okay, here we go. Mac, the first thing you do is take my hand and put your hand on my back. I don't have all day."

"Sorry, this song is bugging me," he told her. Kelly laughed and then realized the lyrics.

"Get off your high horse, Mac. There are a lot of songs like this. If it bugs you this much, I will change it," Kelly said pressing a button. She came back as _Ticks _by _Brad Paisley_ played. "Just get over it. Now, this really shouldn't be awkward. Think of the counseling and that bet. Seriously, Mac just put your hand on my back." Kelly was laughing at him. He did as he was instructed yet still cautious as he always was.

"Alright"

"Okay, you are going to step to the side with your left foot. I'm going to mirror you. Then you are going to bring your right foot to your left. See this isn't hard. Okay then you are going to step again with your left and again bring your right foot to your left but just a touch this time," Kelly made him do the motions to get the memory down.

"And these lyrics don't bug you?" Mac asked.

"Not anymore. So what are you wearing?" she wondered.

"I don't know," Mac admitted. Kelly stopped the music.

"Okay, you're going to wear black because you just are. Don't argue," Kelly ordered. Mac laughed at her.

"Why black? It's summer in the city," he told her.

"Because you look best in black or maroon, but don't get me started again. Alright now I'm going to teach you the rest of this dance," she turned the music back on._ Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)_ by _Big and Rich_ was on. She changed it to _Alcohol_ by _Brad Paisley_. "After you step to your left twice you are going to do the same to your right. So its side step right. Feet together. Side step right. Left touch. I'm doing the opposite at this point. Not bad, Mac, not bad at all. If you want, you can put a dip in when you step. Just a small one. You don't have to if it concerns you that much."

"What is concerning me is how you know the words to every single song here," Mac told her.

"Not the worst thing you've caught me doing, is it?"

"No, is it true Danny and you gave Flack's number out to a porn star agency?" he asked. Kelly laughed.

"He would have done well in _Under Covers_. I'm joking, but that was the movie they wanted him in," Kelly had an evil grin on her face. Mac shook his head. Sometimes, his CSI's were very immature.

"Oh dear gosh, Kelly Catherine Higgins," Mac was still shaking his head.

"Well, Mac Whatever Taylor let's get back to this dance, shall we?" she returned her left hand to his shoulder. "Okay, after you come back to your right, you spin me once to the right then we sort of high five. Your right hand. My left. Now you spin me once to the left. Okay, good. Alright, now we sort of stop and have our arms sort of around each other's waists." He did so. "Alright, I guess you are going to have to get this floor a little dirty or even your shoes, Mac. You are going to step with your outside foot, your left, and scuff the floor with your inside foot. You step with that foot then scuff with your left. Step. Scuff. Step. Scuff and then walk three steps backwards. That's it Mac. Now let's see what you've got." Kelly turned her iPod to _Online_ by _Brad Paisley_. Finally, after about thirteen tries, Mac got it right.

"That's brilliant," Flack said as Danny whistled. Kelly turned around red in the face. She was already coming up with an insult.

"Flack, there are a lot of places looking for someone like you," Kelly told him. Danny laughed. "And you Mr. Messer, are you going to stand there or dance?"

"I don't have a partner," Danny made up an excuse.

"We aren't discriminating," Mac spoke up. Danny flushed. The look that Kelly gave him made him and Flack dance together. Kelly whistled.

"Here, I will teach you the dance. Mac and I will demonstrate. You take your partners hand. One of you will put your hand on the other's shoulder. One on the other's back," Kelly was happy to see them struggle. If they weren't so scared of her, they would have never. They knew how hard she could punch. She taught them the dance which they learned easily.

"That's sexy," Stella said when she walked in to see Danny and Flack dancing together. Lindsay was laughing.

"It's not what it looks like," Danny told her. Lindsay was still smiling wishing someone had gotten that on camera. Kelly was smiling ear to ear. Even Mac was laughing.

"It's exactly what it looks like," Kelly told him.

"What were you two doing?" Stella asked.

"I was teaching Mac how to do a barn dance, and they walked in. They learned their lesson. Of course, Flack knows not to mess with me and Danny," she laughed as did everyone with the exception of Flack.

"Barn dance?" Stella asked.

"Here, I'll save the duo here the humiliation of dancing and demonstrate. Mac, may I have this dance?" she asked. He nodded. They showed them the dance. Kelly took a bow at the end.

"What is this? Dancing with the Scientists?" Adam walked in.

"You can't use my line," Mac said making the others laugh.

"I remember that dance," Lindsay stated. "I used to do that dance back in Montana sometimes."

"Mac, the money," Kelly said her hand extended. Mac dug in his wallet and got out the money.

"Thank you," she said. "Next time you want to learn to dance, don't learn in the A/V lab." Kelly took her iPod and left.

………………………………………………

"That was fun. I will admit that," Mac said coming back from the party with Stella.

"You looked good in black. You really ought to wear it more often. Just not in the summer," she laughed. He took off his cowboy hat and put it on her head.

"I think that you look better in black," he told her. She adjusted her hat a little bit so it was tilted back more.

"I suppose I do," she joked. He pulled her into a gentle kiss.

……………………………………………...

"Hello," Flack answered his phone.

"Is this Donald Flack Jr.? We would like you to be in the remake of _Good Will Humping_," the voice said.

"No!" Flack hung up. That certainly soured his mood as he got ready to go out to dinner with Angell.

…………………………………………...

"Glad you could make it," Danny told Kelly. Hawkes came in a few minutes later. Flack and Angell came in. They had just had a dinner date.

"Okay, who wants to play I Never?" Flack asked. He _would_ suggest that.

"Fine," Kelly agreed. The game was about to begin. The six friends did things like this every month or so.

"I've never kissed Mac," Lindsay stated for Kelly's benefit. She was the only one to drink to that.

"By the way, whose kiss turned you on more, Mac's or Hawkes'?" Flack asked. The table was silent. She had a blank expression.

"Hawkes' obviously," Kelly answered. The others laughed. If she was lying, there was no way to tell.

"I've never danced with Flack," Hawkes said. Danny and Angell drank to that one. They all continued to come up with one until a familiar song came on.

"I love this song," Lindsay said.

_Every time you take a sip  
__In this smoky atmosphere  
__You press that bottle to your lips  
__And I wish I was your beer_

_And in the small there of your back  
__Your jeans are playing peek-a-boo  
__I'd like to see the other half  
__Of your butterfly tattoo_

_Hey that gives me an idea  
__Let's get out of this bar  
__Drive out into the country  
__And find a place to park_

'_Cause I'd like to see you  
__Out in the moonlight  
__I'd like to kiss you  
__Way back in the sticks_

_I'd like to walk you  
__Through a field of wildflowers  
__And I'd like to check you for ticks_

_I know the perfect little path  
__Out in these woods I used to hunt  
__But don't worry babe I've got your back  
__And I've also got your front_

_Now I'd hate to waste a night like this  
__I'll keep you safe you wait and see  
__The only thing allowed to crawl  
__All over you when we get there is me_

_You know every guy in here tonight  
__Would like to take you home  
__But I've got way more class than them  
__Babe that ain't what I want_

'_Cause I'd like to see you  
__Out in the moonlight  
__I'd like to kiss you  
__Way back in the sticks_

_I'd like to walk you  
__Through a field of wildflowers  
__And I'd like to check you for ticks_

_Ooo, you never know where one might be  
__Ooo, there's lots of places that are hard to reach  
__I gotcha_

_I'd like to see you out in the moonlight  
__I'd like to kiss you, baby, way back in the sticks  
__I'd like to walk you through a field of wildflowers  
__And I'd like to check you for ticks  
__I'd sure like to check you for ticks_

"Mac freaked when he heard this song. I was teaching him that dance, and he also got all freaked out when _Nothing On But The Radio_ came on. It was funny," Kelly laughed along with the others. They eventually went back to their game.

"Okay, I've never used that ticks line before," Hawkes said. Flack and Danny drank. They laughed.

"Well, I've never had that line used on me," Angell told the others. Kelly and Lindsay drank on that one.

"Do tell," Flack said.

"Well, it was a camping trip in college with some friends and some friends of friends. There were some drinks, and this guy used that line. I clocked him in the face," Kelly said.

"It was college for me too. Some guy heard I was from Montana. I told him no," Lindsay replied.

"Kelly, so violent," Danny joked.

"Yeah and I don't really believe in violence," Kelly laughed with the others.

"I think we should call it a night. We are all on shift tomorrow," Lindsay said looking at her watch. It was almost one in the morning.

"Night guys," they each said good night. After all they would see each other the next day.

……………………………………………………

"Kelly, what do you think?" Danny showed her an engagement ring.

"Danny, I don't know what to say. This is all very sudden. I haven't even sorted out my feelings for you. I mean we aren't even dating," she joked.

"Seriously," he told her.

"I think she'll love it. Have you asked her parents for their blessing?"

"I'm going there tonight. I'm hoping to ask Lindsay this weekend," Danny told her.

**Notes: I think a Bow Chika Wow Wow is in order. That's from FRIENDS as is **_**Good Will Humping**_**. Actually they are both from the same episode. I hope you liked what they did to Flack. I decided that they decided that was better revenge. Please review! I want to know what you think! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Blue Shadowdancer, and GregRox! They rock. I hope you guys got the song titles and such. I mean I gave them to you there. Hope you had a great day! :D**


	40. The One With Marriage On The Mind

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. I do own Kelly C. Higgins. She does not go with Mac. That's for you luf100 and CSIMiami17! XD**

**Notes: Well, it would seem we have a proposal to get to. Thanks to luf100 for reading this one through. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With Marriage On The Mind**

"So?" Kelly asked when Danny came into work two days after he showed her the ring.

"They said I could. It took some convincing, but they said I could," Danny was obviously excited. Kelly was happy for him. He was going to be happy with Lindsay. All she had to do was say yes.

"So how are you going to ask her?" Kelly wondered.

"I was thinking taking her up on the roof with the city skyline. Have it spelled out in a card with some roses," Danny was giving an outline of it. It was a very elaborate. Kelly nodded. "I don't know what to wear though."

"What are you talking to me about that for? You know I'm bad with fashion. Ask Stella or Mac or even Flack. Never me," Kelly told him.

"Okay, then why do you make all those comments to Mac about his wardrobe?" he asked.

"To annoy him obviously. Speaking of which, here he comes," Kelly stopped and whistled at Mac. "That's sexy, Mac, really sexy," she called. Mac was red. She then told Danny, "See?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's pretty funny," he told her laughing. "Okay, I'll ask someone else. I'll ask Flack."

…………………………………………….

"Take it off. Oh yeah, take it all off," Kelly whistled as Mac took off his lab coat. He was extremely uncomfortable as Danny laughed with Kelly. A quick high five was passed beneath the table. Maybe her comments were just how mad she still was at him.

"Kelly, why me?" Mac asked.

"Why not you?" she rebutted smiling as she noticed that Mac was still red in the face. He walked out leaving the younger CSI's laughing. All the things she could say. She couldn't though. She couldn't express how hurt she was. Humor was her escape much like a sketchbook is to an artist, or a notebook is to a writer.

"That made my day," Danny told her. She smiled.

"I guess we should actually work on all this paperwork," she snickered. He grinned.

"Or we could play Scalpel Darts in Autopsy?" he asked.

"Meet you down in ten, okay?" she questioned. He nodded.

……………………………………………

"How are my favorite CSI's?" Sid asked Kelly and Danny. Danny thought about what he was going to do that night. He was so nervous. Kelly thought about everything that had been going on in her life. Her anger. Danny and she looked at each other. They wouldn't tell the truth. Danny was nervous as heck. Kelly was angry and not in a forgiving mood. They could both hide what they felt.

"Good. You going to play today?" he asked.

"Yes, I have some of my best scalpels so I can beat you two," Sid answered. Kelly and Danny looked at each other grinning. Now that Danny could play, he and Kelly were pretty much unstoppable.

"Let the games begin," Kelly said smiling.

…………………………………………..

"Sid, do you have the COD on my Jane Doe?" Mac asked. The three other people down there looked at each other with wide eyes. They had one simultaneous thought. _Crap!_ Kelly and Danny weren't supposed to be down there playing darts. Sid wasn't supposed to be playing darts. Well, he found the COD so technically he could. Mac would be upset when he found all of them down here. It's not like Kelly and Danny had a place to run to. They were so dead. At least they were in the morgue. It was only fitting.

"Kelly, Danny, I would try to get out," Sid warned them.

"Never would have thought of that," Kelly mumbled sarcastically.

"Kelly and Danny what a surprise," Mac said dryly.

"What an interesting COD, Sid," she was thinking fast. Anything to get herself and Danny out of trouble. Sid wasn't employed by Mac so he had nothing to worry about. The look Mac gave her silenced any other thoughts she had to say. He wasn't falling for it.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Danny. Kelly, I'm not surprised," he told her getting back at her 'flirting.'

"It was my idea, Mac," Danny said.

"No, it was mine," Kelly lied. It was after all Danny's idea. "It's still not the worst that you've caught us doing. Would it help if I said that I really like your shirt? It looks really nice." Mac glared. "Shutting up." He nodded. Danny was also thinking fast.

"Well, is it lunch already? Kelly, we have those lunch plans. We can't miss them," Danny lied. Mac put his hand up.

"Stay," he ordered.

……………………………………………...

"Lindsay, you coming down to Autopsy? We have to get that COD," Hawkes asked. She followed him to the elevator.

"Fun," she said sarcastically. It was always an adventure to go down to the crypt. They heard raised voices. They knew who they were. Kelly. Mac. Danny? What was Danny doing down there?

"Look, it was only paperwork. It would take like ten minutes. Loosen up, Mac," Kelly told him instantly regretting her choice of words.

"We'll just come back later," Lindsay said quietly to Hawkes. They left quickly.

"How many times do I have to tell you that if you don't get the paperwork done we can't bring the case to the DA?" Kelly knew he was hinting at a suspension.

"What's another suspension to me, Mac? Seriously, lighten up," she started to walk off. He blocked her way out of this one. She was angry as he. Could they not fight for ten minutes? There was an intense look in both of their eyes. Both were bent on being the victor. Only one would win. The thing that snapped them back to reality was a whispered chant. Danny. Of course it was Danny.

"Punch him! Punch him! Punch him!" Danny kept chanting. Kelly smiled as did Mac. She would have to thank Danny later.

"May I go?" she asked Mac. Too soon.

"No, I'm still talking to all three of you," he mentioned when Sid was trying to shrink off to his office.

"It won't happen again, Mac, promise," Kelly said trying to get out of there. Danny was behind her. Sid was a little confused.

"You're right. It won't. Danny, Kelly I have no idea what to do with you guys," Mac said shaking his head. He didn't know whether to yell or laugh. They really were one of a kind. They drove him absolutely insane. But without them, his life would be pretty boring. Maybe he would 'loosen up.' Then again payback is an interesting thing. "Danny, why don't you go and work on that paperwork while I talk to Kelly? I'm sure you would like to leave early because of tonight." It wasn't a secret in the lab. Even Lindsay was expecting it to be something big that night. Danny gladly left while Kelly glared at him.

"Yeah," she said acknowledging Mac.

"Kelly Catherine Higgins," he started.

"You know one day I'm going to learn your full name, Mac," Kelly said irritated by him calling her by her full name. So there she was now glaring again at Mac. It was their first fight in the morgue. It was a little morbid. It was almost saying that some punches were going to be thrown. Of course she was going to try to keep her temper down. She loved her job.

"You deliberately disobeyed my orders. Do you not care if someone goes away for life because that's what he deserves or goes on the street because the lab's credibility is in question?" Mac had this way of laying on guilt. Kelly absolutely hated it. She knew he was right. And, yes, she did care. She looked down. She hated when he was right.

"Yes, of course I care, Mac," she mumbled. He smiled knowing how bad he could make her feel. He considered it challenging her to be better. This was worth every joke and insult she ever threw at him. She looked up and saw him smiling. She was so mad. He didn't blame her though he didn't expect her to be so angry that she was willing to throw a punch.

"What's it like to get a taste of your own medicine?" Mac smirked. It all happened pretty quickly. She didn't know what she was doing. A lot of anger filled her. Forgiving Mac and forgetting what he did were two very different things. She had lost it. She forgot where she was. Who she was fighting. What the consequences were. She threw a punch. He saw it coming. He caught it and twisted her arm so she couldn't move. "I wouldn't." That snapped her back to reality. What did she just do?

…………………………………………………

"Lindsay, I got a surprise for you," Danny rang out happily. He took her hand, and he drove to his apartment. After blindfolding her, he led her by the hand up to the roof. He took off her blindfold after she promised to keep her eyes shut. He had rose petals scattered all around with candles. "You can open your eyes now."

"It's beautiful. It might even beat the wheat fields," she smiled.

"Lindsay, I've made a lot of mistakes. But for the first time, I feel like I'm doing something right. Whenever you are around me, I feel like I'm flying. I know that you are the right girl for me. I just hope that I'm the right guy for you," he got down on one knee even if it was clichéd. Lindsay had tears in her eyes. "Lindsay Monroe, will you marry me?"

Time was at a standstill. The city quiet. Did he just ask what she thought he asked? She saw the roses and the candles. He was on one knee hope in his eyes. She only had to say one word, and one word could make a lifetime or tear one apart. All it took was one word. Yes or no. She thought in that moment what she really wanted. Danny saw her lips move. He couldn't hear her.

"Wait, what?" he asked. He wanted to make sure she said what he thought she said. She said it again. Sound returned to his ears.

"Yes, Danny Messer, I will marry you," she said smiling. He picked her up and swung her around with joy. She giggled. Their lips met.

_Look at the stars  
__Look how they shine for you  
__Everything you do  
__Yeah, they were all yellow_

_I came along, I wrote a song for you  
__And everything you do  
__And it was called yellow_

_So then I took my turn  
__Oh what a thing to've done  
__And it was all yellow_

_Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones  
__Turn into something beautiful  
__Don't you know?  
__You know I love you so  
__You know I love you so_

_I swam across, I jumped across for you  
__Oh, what a thing to do  
_'_Cause you were all yellow_

_I drew a line, I drew a line for you  
__Oh, what a thing to do  
__And it was all yellow_

_Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones  
__Turn into something beautiful  
__Do you know?  
__For you I bleed myself dry  
__For you I bleed myself dry_

_It's true  
__Look how they shine for you  
__Look how they shine for you  
__Look how they shine for  
__Look how they shine for you  
__Look how they shine for you  
__Look how they shine_

_Look at the stars  
__Look how they shine for you  
__And all the things that you do_

**After Notes: I hope you all liked that. The song at the end is **_**Yellow**_** by **_**Coldplay**_**. I've been watching way too much action. I hope you liked it. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: GregRox, CSIMiami17, EverythingIsConnected, Bonasera, au004, lily moonlight, Sarryb, and Blue Shadowdancer! They rock! Hope you had a great day! :D**


	41. The One After A Mistake

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I guess this is right after Kelly decided to take a swing at Mac. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One After A Mistake**

_It all happened pretty quickly. She didn't know what she was doing. A lot of anger filled her. Forgiving Mac and forgetting what he did were two very different things. She had lost it. She had forgotten where she was. Who she was fighting. What the consequences were. She threw a punch. He saw it coming. He caught it and twisted her arm so she couldn't move. "I wouldn't." That snapped her back to reality. What did she just do?_

Sid was flabbergasted. The room still. No movement. What had just happened? Kelly was known to have a temper. She would never go and punch Mac. As much as she annoyed him, Sid could tell she had a great deal of respect for him. But there she was risking her job to throw a punch. There Mac was holding her fist. Not letting her go. She had three choices. Fight. She didn't lose fist fights. Stay. Face the consequences. Run. Flee from her troubles. Fight, stay, or run. There was always a fourth. An unspeakable. A resignation. Quit. Her job. That wasn't what she wanted, but the option was open, and she had a viable reason to now. No she didn't quit. Her personality made her want to keep fighting even if she had already lost it. Sometimes it was something to admire. Actually it was a rarity that she lost a fight unless it was a shouting match. She allowed herself to lose those. Mainly to Mac. Now she felt too close to him. She could feel his breath down her neck sending chills making her feel claustrophobic. She tried to squirm free. He had too tight of a grip on her arm. It was starting to hurt. It was her fault though. She had to keep that in mind. Running seemed like a good option. If he let go, she would go away from there and away from him.

"Mac, I think you're hurting her," Sid said judging from the expression on Kelly's face. She wouldn't say anything. Mac let go disgusted with himself. He and Kelly backed away from each other disturbed by what just happened. Kelly with a glance back jogged out of the morgue. Mac paused for a second or two. Should he follow her? Make sure she's okay? Why should he? He was her boss, but at points he was her friend.

……………………………………………….

Kelly slid down. What did she do? She was in shock. Shock. _A sudden or violent disturbance of the mind, emotions, or sensibilities._ _Suggests a sudden, sharp surprise that effects one somewhat like a blow. Suggests a strong blow, as it were, to one's nerves, sentiments, sense of decency, etc. _Why did she have to remember that? A door opened. It shut. Someone slid down next to her. Put their hand on her shoulder. Tried to comfort her. The hand was not quite familiar.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Mac told her. Kelly said nothing. She showed no emotions. Nothing. No acknowledgement that Mac was there. Nothing at all. "I know that I was the reason that you lost your temper." Still nothing. Even her eyes held no emotion. Except one. Shock. He squeezed her shoulder. She was unresponsive or she just didn't want to talk to him. Both were probably right.

"It's not just that. I tried to punch you, Mac. I don't even know why," she sighed. He nodded. "And somehow you aren't mad because you are probably the coolest boss ever. And me being the person I am can't except that."

"Life's messy isn't it," he admitted. She smiled. It was indeed messy. Needless to say, they both had messy lives. Life had to keep going though. Things happened.

"Maybe it's time I actually forgive you," Kelly told him. He looked over at her. She looked at him and smiled. "Maybe you should've just suspended me." He chuckled and got up. Mac offered her a hand up.

"Can you trust me?" taking his hand would be the yes answer. Getting up by herself would signalize not being able to trust him. She did trust him. She took his hand in hers as he helped her up.

"Thanks, Mac, for everything," she hugged him. Mac hugged her back. She breathed deeply. "You sure that cologne isn't new?" He laughed.

"Kelly, get back to work," he was smiling when he said that.

"Just wondering. Ralph Lauren? Kenneth Cole?" she joked. Mac was reddened slightly.

"Don't you have some paperwork?"

"Yes, sir," she saluted. Mac shook his head. Oh, what was he going to do with her?

……………………………………………………

"To Danny and Lindsay," Flack said. Everyone drank to them. Danny had his arm around Lindsay who was beaming. She had a glow to her now. Everyone was happy then. It was the night after Danny proposed to Lindsay. Everyone was at Sullivan's that day to celebrate. They always knew that they would be the first of the group to be engaged and marry.

"Didn't think I'd get to leave work after the morgue incident," Danny told Kelly. She nodded. She had to ice her shoulder later that night.

"Okay, what happened down there?" Flack asked. Danny, Kelly, and Mac all looked at each other. Danny would bring it up.

"Kelly and I were playing darts with Sid. Mac came in and started getting mad at us," Danny laughed.

"Then he lets Danny off the hook," Kelly said obviously still rubbed the wrong way by it. Mac chuckled.

"It was payback for all those jokes," he replied.

"Yes, that's a great idea. By the way, I had to ice my shoulder," that sobered Mac's mood. He was still ashamed of that. He looked down at the floor.

"I said I was sorry," he told her. She nodded.

"And I forgave you," she replied. The others were puzzled.

"What the heck happened down there?" Flack asked.

"So Mac was laughing because he was making me feel bad," Kelly dug. It was only partly true.

"I was not laughing. Smirking maybe," Mac replied.

"So I lost myself and tried to punch him," she said very quietly.

"So I defended myself, and her shoulder got hurt. I'm not proud of what I did, and neither is she"

……………………………………………..

"Ow, my shoulder is still sore," Kelly rubbed it with her other hand. Hawkes smiled. He still couldn't believe that she didn't get suspended. She was having trouble believing that too. "Thank goodness for Mac's conscience." They laughed.

………………………………………………

"Mac, can you help me lift the body?" she was hinting at her shoulder. He nodded.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" he asked. She shrugged. He helped her lift the body into the ME ban.

"As long as I can I suppose. Oh well, I'm used to sore stuff. Two brothers. I had to learn to live with that. Mainly my older brother. He could throw a punch," she said.

"Siblings are like that," Mac told her.

"You have any siblings?" Kelly asked. He nodded.

"An older brother," he replied.

"Don't you talk to him? Not to be nosy, but seeing as you've been asking stuff like that to me…" she trailed off.

"No, I don't talk to him anymore. He made some choices that he shouldn't have," he replied. She chose to leave it there. "You really came to New York to get away from it all. Don't you miss Texas?"

"Sometimes, then I remember where I am. I always liked the cold. I chose between three labs. The crime lab in Vegas, the lab in Miami, and here. I like New York better. Plus, you've met Caitie. I have a friend at the Vegas lab who you've met. I think you know why I don't work with them. Never hear the end of anything. A week straight after we got back from Miami I got calls every morning at four. Of course it was Caitie," Kelly laughed. Mac smiled.

…………………………………………………..

_And all my friends say  
__I started shooting doubles  
__When you walked in  
__All my friends say  
__I went a little crazy  
__Seeing you with him  
__You know I don't remember a thing  
__But they say I sure was raising some cain  
__I was a rock star, party hard,  
__Getting over you, comeback kid  
__Yeah I must have did  
__What all my friends say  
__Yeah, yeah, yeah_

"Mac, I didn't know you felt that way about me dating Hawkes," Kelly said walking into the A/V lab. He chuckled.

"In your dreams," he told her.

"No, I believe those are your dreams," she laughed. He smiled.

"It's the number from the scene. It's the answer tone. Adam's tracing it right now," Mac told her.

"Can you two stop flirting? I can't concentrate," Adam said.

"That's not flirting, Adam. One day you'll have a special person that you can flirt with," Kelly joked with him. Adam was red. Mac was laughing. "Still want to know about that cologne, Mac." She laughed. He rolled his eyes.

"If I asked you the same thing, you would claim sexual harassment," he told her. She shrugged.

"It's just fun, but I might be serious about the black, Mac. You do look best in it in a sexless friend's way," Kelly said laughing. Mac shook his head.

"Can you two stop for like two minutes? I got it," Adam said. He had this huge grin on his face. Kelly and Mac turned to face him.

………………………………………………..

"So I'm just saying that if you gave that look a chance," Kelly started.

"I'm not going to, Kelly, get over it. Get your gun out," they were at the door to their suspect. They drew their weapons.

"NYPD!" Kelly shouted. There was no answer. Mac kicked in the door. Kelly went into the kitchen. He went into the living room.

"Anything?" he asked. Kelly was in the middle of fighting someone off. He was looking through some papers.

"Yeah," she gasped as she punched the guy in the gut. The guy grabbed her from behind.

"Can you handle it?" Mac called.

"I'm trying," she was trying to go for the eyes. If she could get his eyes, she could get him on the ground. Finally, she pushed at his eyes. He let go of her. He was leaning over. Kelly hit him with the butt of her gun and kicked him in the gut. He was on the ground. "Mac Taylor, get your dare I say sexy butt in here."

"Okay, okay," he came in. "Why didn't you get me in here sooner?" She was handcuffing the suspect.

"I was trying to get this guy off me," she huffed.

"We really have to stop working cases together. One of these days you're going to get yourself killed," he told her. "Get up." They pulled the guy up. They put him in one of the squad cars that had just pulled up.

"You two couldn't have waited?" Flack asked. "Kelly, your lip. It's bleeding." She felt it.

"Yes, I know. Thanks to Mac," Kelly said. Flack took that the wrong way.

"What the heck did you do?" Flack asked Mac.

"Well, I certainly didn't do that. She was fighting with the suspect," Mac explained.

"And you didn't help her?"

"No! She didn't even tell me that she was fighting him," Mac said quickly.

"I thought that it was sort of obvious! I mean the grunts and wow this is starting to sound wrong," Kelly laughed. The others started laughing.

"I had no idea what you were doing. Sorry," Mac mumbled. Kelly smiled.

"You owe me," she said.

"Fine," Mac sighed.

……………………………………….

"That's sexy, Mac," Stella said. She smiled. Mac looked absolutely humiliated especially since Kelly was in the room. She was leaning up against the table in the trace lab. Lindsay was in there too.

"Oh, it could have been worse. You should've just come to my rescue," Kelly told him. "It was one button on the shirt, Mac. Get over it. You've worn your shirt like that before. I think it looks good."

"I've never worn my shirt like this because my CSI told me it makes me look good," Mac told her. She smiled. Yes, she was enjoying it. "Of course if that wasn't awkward enough, you insisted on unbuttoning it yourself," he mumbled under his breath. Kelly smiled. She was definitely enjoying this. Goodness, she and Mac had a rollercoaster relationship.

**After Notes: I hope that was funny. I hope you guys liked it! The part of the song is **_**All My Friends Say**_** by **_**Luke Bryan**_**. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: au004, lily moonlight, CSIMiami17, and Bonasera! They rock! Hope you had a great day! :D**


	42. The One With All The Action

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't know why you guys keep insisting. Just kidding! XD **

**Notes: This one's for Blue Shadowdancer. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With All The Action**

"You couldn't call Kelly?" Mac asked groggily. It was his day off of course.

"She isn't answering her phone. Called her like ten times. Can you come to the scene, please?" Flack asked.

"Since you already woke me up, sure why not?" Mac hung up.

………………………………………………..

"Hey guys," Kelly said. Mac was so mad.

"It was my day off. You couldn't answer your dang phone!" Mac was a little pissed.

"I was on a run," she explained.

"You didn't take your phone?" Mac asked incredulously. Kelly smiled.

"I go on a run to get away from you two," she told them.

"Ouch, Kelly that hurts. I thought we really had something going on," Mac told her. Kelly smirked.

"Again your dreams, Mac," she told him. He nodded laughing.

"Okay, just keep thinking that," he replied.

"You two stop it or I will call Stella and Hawkes," Flack threatened. Kelly and Mac laughed.

"It's just a little playful banter, not flirting. Oh my gosh, that's the same thing," Kelly was laughing though.

"Not necessarily," Mac said.

"Well, that's comforting," Was that sarcasm? From Kelly? Who would have thought that?

"Whatever! Are you two going to process the scene or flirt? It's a little sickening too," Flack told them.

"Oh because you hitting on a witness is sane. By the way, how did Angell take that?" Kelly asked. Flack was sobered. Kelly smirked.

"Look Flack, we will process our way. If you can't deal with us talking, process it yourself," Mac told him. He and she laughed. Flack was a little confused. They were just so friendly lately. Just the week before she had took a swing at him. The three of them entered the apartment.

"So here's the scene," Flack showed it to them.

"It's beautiful. I really love what you've done to the place," Kelly said in response to him showing the place like a realtor.

"Oh yes the floral print on the walls just goes wonderfully with the Victorian theme," Flack said not making sense.

"And you wonder why we crack gay jokes?" Mac asked. Kelly stifled her laughter.

"Okay," Flack was trying to change the subject.

"Alright, looks pretty straight forward. I think we can take it from here," Kelly said.

"I'm not leaving you two. After all the trouble the two of you seem to find," Flack told them. They shrugged but got to work. After around twenty minutes, they hear a noise coming from the kitchen.

"No, Mac you're getting this one," she said. They finally had convinced Flack to leave.

"Fine," he put the cotton swab back in his kit. He drew his gun and entered the kitchen. Kelly had her gun drawn just in case. Then again when wasn't there a time that she had to use her drawn weapon? She heard a couple of grunts and a large thud. She entered the kitchen forgetting to use her radio. She saw a man grab her gun. She punched him. He knocked her to the ground. She reached for her knife. It finally came in handy. She grabbed it off her waistband.

"What are you going to do, chicky?" that guy had no idea what he was getting into. He didn't see her knife.

"Two things you should know. One, no one gets away with calling me chicky," she punched him and flicked open her knife. "Two, I don't fight fair." She pushed the guy up against the wall with a knife at his throat.

"Neither do I," Kelly heard a click from behind her head. She dropped the knife. Everything went black.

………………………………………………..

"Get up!" a voice ordered. Kelly didn't exactly have a choice. Her own gun was being used against her. Talk about ironic. "What's your name, chicky?" Kelly cringed at that name.

"Indiana Jones. I see you've met Jason Bourne," she told him. The guy hit her with the back of the gun.

"Name"

"Dr. Jones, call me Indy. Nice to meet you," she said. She felt the gun hit her again. "I wouldn't mind if you would take care of that gun. I spent a long time cleaning it."

"Shut up!"

……………………………………………………

"Morning, Mr. Bourne," Kelly told him.

"What the heck?" Mac was very confused.

"Well, actually it's lunchtime. Well, I suppose you're Mac again. Seriously, that guy can't hit that hard," Kelly said. She had a gash above her eye. Mac had a lovely black eye forming and a split lip.

"Kells, are you okay. You're bleeding," he told her. She looked at him sarcastically.

"Really, that's what the red stuff is that's _flowing_ down my _face_," she told him raising her voice. Mac blinked.

"You don't have to yell," he told her. She rolled her eyes.

"I think I could've handled it better than you"

"Oh yes that's right. I forgot that you just went all Jennifer Garner on them and totally took care of this situation," Mac told her.

"You two shut up!" the man yelled. Kelly and Mac kept whispering fiercely.

………………………………………………………

"Hey, where are you?" Flack asked coming back. Their kits were open. He wondered where they were. He went into the kitchen. There was blood. He didn't know if it was from the scene or from the now missing CSI's. He got his radio out. He saw a knife on the floor. It had initials. KNH. Kevin something Higgins. That was Kelly's brother's knife. What happened to them? He radioed it in.

……………………………………………………….

"This sucks," Kelly whispered.

"Really?" Mac was a little ticked. He wasn't even supposed to be there. If only Kelly had answered her phone, she would've had this scene to herself. He didn't want to think about what they would do to her. How did those guys even get into the kitchen? Patrol was supposed to make safe the scene. He would give them an earful when he got out of this.

"Well, I'm happy I'm not alone in this even if it means I'm with you," Kelly told him.

"Thanks?"

"If it's any consolation, I'm happy that it's us and not anyone else," Kelly replied. He nodded.

"Don't you have a date tonight?" he asked.

"Dinner with Hawkes' parents," she said.

"Going to cancel it?" he questioned.

"No, I think they should meet the girl with stitches on her forehead. I'm sure they will just love me," Kelly replied sarcastically.

"Don't beat yourself up. They're doing a good enough job already. I can't tell what they are talking about or why we're here," Mac whispered back. Kelly was also stumped. She was working on untying her bindings. The 'brilliant' suspects used twine. They had it bound it too tightly though. She had given quite a fight.

"What are we going to do?"

"Nothing"

"You can't give up. Seriously, I've already saved you once don't make it a second time. I almost saved you again, but they had my gun. Two guys. I don't know why they seem so familiar," she replied.

"I don't know but give it a think," he told her. A face. A name. A motive. That's what she found.

"Nicholas Charles, we arrested him last year. He had a younger brother. Evan, I think. So are we here for revenge?" she asked.

"Probably," he sighed.

"You two, be quiet!" the guy tied rags around their mouths. Kelly spat on his face before he did that. The man slapped her. She then proceeded to spit on him again before the rag was in her mouth. She was going to get herself killed just to spit in this guy's face. Mac had to admire her courage so to speak.

…………………………………………………

"Where are they?" Stella asked. "Isn't it Mac's day off?"

"Yeah, Kelly didn't answer, well, she did, but he was already at the scene. That's not important though," Flack answered.

"Anything?" Danny asked.

…………………………………………………

_I'm hungry. That's not selfish at all, Kelly._ She hated this. Of course, she wasn't supposed to like it either. She couldn't help but think that somewhere Flack was eating. It made her sick. It kind of made her want to take out her anger on someone. Where were her captors when she needed them? She felt a hand go over her mouth. It's not like she could say anything.

"It's okay, it's me," Mac whispered. Kelly stopped fighting. Mac cut the rag and the twine binding her wrists.

"Where did you get the glass, Mac?" she whispered. He tilted his head toward the wall. There was already a hole in it. Mac had gotten a piece of the glass from it. She had no idea how. Must've been _Super Mac_. She laughed in her head but had a grin on her face.

"Let's get out of here," he told her. She nodded.

"Where do you think you're going?" the man said from behind them. They turned around.

"Just going to get some fresh air," Kelly said. The guy fake laughed.

"Fresh air?" Mac punched the guy.

"Yeah, fresh air," Kelly kneed the man in the gut. She brought both hands down on the man's back. Mac pulled at her arm.

"Let's get out of here," he told her. With one last punch, Kelly followed Mac out of the warehouse. Turning back to get her badge and gun from the guy. She handed Mac's to him.

"Let's tie him up or he'll be after us again," Mac told her. When that was done they left the warehouse. Where were they? Connecticut, Vermont, they could be in Wyoming. They didn't recognize their surroundings.

"I think we should try and find civilization first," Kelly told him.

"Any markers?"

"Oh yes, there's the sign that says civilization that way," Kelly told him. He scowled.

"Look, if we are going to get out of this, we will have to work together. Whether we like it or not, we are a team," he told her. "Let's work like one." She nodded.

"Alright, there's no running water. I see only this dirt road so let's find where it goes," she told him. He followed her. They had their weapons drawn still. They had no idea if they were going in the right direction. For all they knew, they were going away from civilization. "It would be easier if there was a river or something." Mac nodded. They kept moving.

"Kelly, you hear something?" Mac asked. Maybe he was just paranoid. He swore he heard something. Kelly kept going weapon drawn. Cautious and steady. Paranoia haunting their every step.

"No, I just hear silence. Okay, do you see that?" she asked hoping that it wasn't a mirage.

"Kelly, that is a real building," Mac said.

"It could have a phone," they walked to it still wary of the world around them. They wondered if they were being followed. They really must have looked crazy walking into the restaurant. They had cuts and bruises and cuts on top of cuts and bruises on top of bruises. They were covered in dust from the walk over there.

"NYPD!" Mac said. He shrugged. A host came up to them wary of their guns.

"Mister?"

"Table for two," Kelly answered. Mac just looked at her. "Fine we need to use a phone. And while you're at it can you tell us where we are?"

"You are in Pennsylvania," the host told them. Mac and Kelly looked at each other. Pennsylvania?

……………………………………………………

"Thank gosh you guys are all right," Flack said.

"Well, I don't know if we will be for long," Mac answered.

"What?"

"We think someone's following us," Mac told him.

"Where are you two?"

"On the outskirts of Philadelphia," he replied.

"We'll get Philly PD to get you two. Stay put!"

"No can do, Flack. Got to run. We are being followed," Mac took the phone from his ear and slammed it onto the receiver. He and Kelly took the back way out of the restaurant.

"We should split up and meet at the front"

"No, stick together," Mac said. Out of the corner of his eye, there was a definite moving object. "Kelly, get the heck out of here!"

"We're a team remember?" It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Teams didn't abandon each other. That was something that neither of them would do. "Mac, have you never seen me fight before? I can take care of myself, but I'm not leaving you. We're getting out of here."

"Okay, we need a ride. I doubt that restaurant is going to give us any more help. Do you know how to hotwire a car?"

"No, Mac, I don't. Do you?"

"Yes, now watch and learn," he told her. Kelly smiled. Of course Mac would know how to hotwire a car.

"Nice choice. I would have not gone for a BMW that _cannot_ be hotwired, Mac. Go for the convertible," she told him. She _would_ choose a convertible. She stood guard while Mac worked furiously to get it started. "Mac, stop. I think we have company. It was nice working with you."

"We're going to get out of this. Get down!"

"Alright," they were both kneeling with their guns drawn. Breathing quickly. Normally, in situations where they were at risk they had Kevlar vests. Here they were feeling extremely uncomfortable. They didn't want to die. And neither was with the person they wanted to spend their last moments with. "If I don't get to tell you this, I'm sorry for all I've done to you. If we make it through this, I'm sure I will go right back to teasing you though so I don't know how much this actually means."

"It's the thought that counts, Kelly," he replied. "I guess we should identify ourselves." They took their badges off their waistbands.

"NYPD!" Kelly yelled.

"Philly PD!" a voice yelled. Kelly looked at Mac and him at her. Should they let their guard down? What if that guy wasn't Philly PD?

"Let me see your badge!" Mac shouted. The man tossed it to him. It looked legitimate.

"Put your weapons down," the 'cop' told them. They refused. Something wasn't right.

"Put your weapons down," a voice said from behind them. It was the guy from the warehouse. Mac mentally kicked himself.

"Make him reach," he whispered as quietly as he could to Kelly.

………………………………………..

"Flack, Philly PD is on their way. Mac and Kelly will be fine," Stella said not believing a word she said.

"Yeah, but its Mac and Kelly. The two of them seem to attract trouble. They're like magnets for trouble. You know I'm right," he told her. "We're going to Philadelphia. They will be fine when we get there."

………………………………………….

"Never thought this was going to be the way you were going to die? Back to back. No one will find you. Do you realize that you two are the last familiar faces you will ever see?" the guy said.

"Good thing I'm dying next to an eye candy like Detective Taylor," Kelly could still crack a few jokes.

"Can you two ever stop fighting or flirting?" the man punched Mac.

"What was that for?" Kelly asked which earned Mac another punch.

"Shut up!" which somehow earned Mac another punch. She and Mac were back to back held at gun point.

"Oh come on, you aren't going to let me fight?" Kelly asked. The guy punched Mac again.

"No, and I suggest you shut up!" the man said. Kelly looked at Mac. He was bleeding from his mouth. His eye was swollen. He looked a little mad at Kelly. She grinned. "Unless you want your boyfriend here dead."

"We're not dating," Kelly said. She could hear Mac getting hit. She felt bad. She didn't want him getting any more hurt, but she had to keep this guy talking.

"I bet we could get some fun out of you," the guy snarled at Kelly. She spat on his face. The guy slapped her.

"Touch her again, and I swear I will kill you," Mac told him. Kelly smiled. It was great to know that Mac still had a smidgen of respect for her and her honor. There was a distant sound of sirens. They hoped it was to help them. The guy punched him for his comment. Mac tried his luck and spat on the guy. It was a blood saliva mixture, and the man wasn't too happy about it. Kelly and Mac were biding their time. Waiting. Watching.

"I would have let me fight because now I'm angry and I don't like you," Kelly lunged forward as the guy turned to say something to his friend. She grabbed the gun and his elbow. She twisted his elbow out and pushed his wrist back and on his elbow. She now had the gun. Mac had made his move. He punched the guy as hard as he could knocking him down. He tackled him. Kelly had the other guy down on his knees. Mac had the guy lying on the ground at gun point.

"Stay on the ground you sick son of a-" Mac stopped looking at Kelly. She didn't like cursing. The sirens were getting closer.

"What did I tell you about calling me chicky?" she whispered in the man's ear.

………………………………………….

"Mac!" Stella exclaimed when she saw him sitting on the edge of the ambulance. He looked a lot worse than Kelly who didn't look that great either.

"Stella," Mac grinned. His mouth was red. Stella rushed over to him.

"That's okay, I'm alright," Kelly yelled. They laughed. Flack came over to her.

"Hey, we came as soon as we could," Flack told her.

"Where's Hawkes?"

"New York City," Flack answered.

"Yeah, okay," Kelly sounded very disheartened.

"So I think it's safe to say that this is your last case you work with Mac?" Flack asked.

"Yeah, did you know he can hotwire a car?" she asked.

"Yeah, Mac hotwiring a car. How hard did you get hit?"

"That's hilarious, but I was serious," Kelly explained.

………………………………………….

"Kelly, are you okay?" Hawkes asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered.

"You're lying," Mac told her. He knew what those guys wanted to do to her.

"I said I'm fine. I really don't want to talk about it," she told them. She was in a sour mood lately.

"Okay"

_Life is beautiful  
__We live until we die_

_When you run into my arms,  
__We steal a perfect moment  
__Let the monsters see you smile,  
__Let them see you smile_

_Do I hold you too tightly?  
__When will the hurt kick in?_

_Life is beautiful, but it's complicated  
__We barely make it  
__We don't need to understand  
__There are miracles, miracles_

_Yeah, life is beautiful  
__Our hearts, they beat and break_

_When you run away from harm,  
__Will you run back into my arms,  
__Like you did when you were young?  
__Will you come back to me?_

_I will hold you tightly  
__When the hurting kicks in  
__  
Life is beautiful, but it's complicated  
__We barely make it  
__We don't need to understand  
__There are miracles, miracles_

_Stand where you are  
__We let all these moments pass us by_

_It's amazing where I'm standing  
__There's a lot that we can give  
__This is ours just for the moment  
__There's a lot that we can give_

**After Notes: I hope that my humble offering made sense. That was a lot of action. Got to love some fist fights. The song at the end is **_**Life Is Beautiful**_** by **_**Vega 4**_**. I hope you all liked that! Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, Blue Shadowdancer, CSIMiami17, GregRox, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, and Sarryb! They rock! Hope you had a great day! :D**


	43. The One With All The Romance

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I am writing under the influence again. The influence of lily moonlight. Yes, she has requested another one. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With All The Romance**

"No, I really don't feel like going out tonight," Mac told Stella.

"Yes, and I'm telling you that I could care less that you still are bruised," Stella said to him putting her hand on his arm. He drew back.

"Ouch!" he told her. He was still a little sore since the incident in Pennsylvania.

"Take an _Advil,_" she told him.

"No!"

"I'm sorry. I forgot that you had that insane desire that all guys have to prove that you are tougher than modern day medicine," Stella said. Mac tilted his head at Kelly who was in another lab yelling something about not needing pain killers.

"You were saying?" he asked a little smug. Stella bit her bottom lip.

"Well, that's Kelly," she answered.

…………………………………………

"Kelly, it's been two weeks. Come to the game," Danny told her.

"Yes, two weeks. Do you want to see my wrists? My eye is still banged up. I am bruised all over. My knuckles especially," she smiled at that. She showed him her wrists. They were scabbing over from where the twine had dug into her skin.

"I have matching marks, Kells. Do you have that trace?" Mac asked walking in.

"Yeah, it's iron oxide," she replied handing him the report.

"That's normally used in ceramics," Mac thought out loud.

"Particularly glazing," she finished the thought.

"Artist," Danny stated.

"Really?" Mac asked sarcastically.

"I don't like the new Mac. He's really sarcastic," Danny mumbled. Mac pretended not to hear. Kelly stifled a laugh. "Hangs out with Kelly too much." Kelly glared. Mac took his turn to not laugh.

"Yes, keep making those jokes. I mean, what, when he's married we can make all the comments we want," Kelly said. Something about the threat made Danny shut up.

………………………………………………

"Wow, you look beautiful," Mac told Stella.

"You look, well, better," she told him. He smiled.

"I feel great, Stella, thanks," he said sarcastically. She leaned in to kiss him. He backed away.

"Sorry"

"It's just that I'm hurting still," Mac was not happy with Kelly. Had she answered her phone, he would be kissing Stella then. He might just kill her. Of course she was having similar troubles.

…………………………………………………

"It's nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Hawkes. I've heard so many great things about you two," she said her wrists hurting. She wrapped them with something to try to hide the marks. She tried the same with cover up on her face. Well, tried, it hurt too much to put it on.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you, Ms. Higgins?" Mrs. Hawkes asked.

"I was taken hostage at a crime scene with my boss," she answered. It was going to be a great night.

…………………………………………………….

"No, I think they loved you," Hawkes lied.

"Yes, that was the impression I got," Kelly replied.

"Okay, just give them some time. Of course, at some point you will have to tell them that you don't have a family," he hugged her.

"Ouch! Don't touch me," Kelly was in a lot of pain. Hawkes backed off a little. Why did Flack have to leave the scene?

……………………………………………………

"Never again, Hawkes," Kelly told him at work.

"That doesn't sound right," Mac said.

"No, I met his parents," Kelly said.

"You must have been a catch"

"That was distasteful," Kelly told him.

"I'm sorry, but all these bruises are your fault. You couldn't just answer your phone?" Mac still did not believe her.

"I'm sorry did that ruin your love life? Just imagine what it was like for me!" Kelly told him.

"I don't imagine you like that," Mac said.

"I don't look at you like that"

"Well, I can't think of an insult back"

"Too bad. I can! Don't have a love life to ruin, do you?" Kelly dug. Mac glared.

"I swear if you say anything else to me"

"You'll what? Fail at insulting me. Seriously, Mac, I'm just as pissed as you are," she told him.

"You two stop flirting," Flack said.

"What? We were fighting," Kelly and Mac seemed to say at once.

"Sorry, force of habit," Flack answered. "You two okay? You seem a little jumpy."

"Okay, when you are taken hostage at a crime scene, you'll understand. Also I want to know when it's your time of the month. Then talk to me about it," Kelly said. Flack and Mac kind of just looked at each other.

"Come on, Kelly! You couldn't just not say that last part?" Flack sort of whined. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, I forgot your mommy didn't explain what that was," she told him. Flack glared. Mac laughed.

"And you said that I was going all PMS, Kelly get your act together," Mac told her. She was a little mad. Actually, both she and Mac were just a 'little' mad.

"Fine," she said. They both let out simultaneous 'ughs.'

………………………………………………

"I don't know what's worse. The fights or the friendship?" Danny asked. Everyone nodded.

"You going to stop talking about Mac and I?" Kelly asked leaned against the doorway. They looked at her. "You know besides these cuts and bruises and the hell we went through that hurt."

"Sorry?"

"Yes that's what I want," Kelly answered sarcastically. "Can you guys not gossip for once? I didn't expect you guys to understand what happened there. Maybe you Danny, but the rest of you I'm surprised."

"I didn't know you would stand up for yourself like that, Kelly," Mac said from the hallway.

………………………………………...

"Well, it could be worse," Mac said.

"Yes, the entire team went out for a drink, but us two are stuck on night shift. How can it be worse?" Kelly asked.

"I really don't know. I still don't know why I'm even on night shift. Stella must have changed something," he sighed.

"This is going to be a long night," Kelly stated.

"No way"

…………………………………………….

"You know the pain seems to stop if you don't touch anything," Kelly told him.

"Well, that's the way to do it," Mac was being awfully sarcastic lately. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"You are way more sarcastic than I am. What's up, Mac?" she asked.

"Nothing, now get to work," he ordered.

"On what?" Kelly asked.

"I don't know. Find something to do"

……………………………………………..

"Kelly, find something to do doesn't mean sit in the A/V lab and listen to your iPod!"

"Geez, Mac, its _Coldplay_," she replied feet on the table as she leaned back in the swivel chair.

"Yes that makes all the difference. Stand up!" Mac told her.

"Fine," she saluted the same fire in her eyes that she had when she took down that suspect in Pennsylvania.

"What's with this whole new rebellion thing?"

"Hasn't changed, Mac"

"Think it's funny that we fight when we are alone but not any time else?" Mac asked.

"Maybe ironic not funny. Well, I would suggest Scalpel Darts, but I don't want to punch you again," Kelly told him.

"You would rather be suspended," Mac said almost sarcastically.

"Mackey Boi, what is another suspension to me? Honestly"

"Just shut up! I should be with Stella right now! I shouldn't have to deal with all these cuts and bruises," Mac snarled.

"Oh because I should have to deal with this?!"

"I didn't mean it like that," Mac said.

"Yes, you never do! Ugh, Mac!"

"Ugh, yourself! Seriously"

"Seriously, what?!"

"Oh, I don't know. Why do you have to bug me all the time? Why?"

"Because I can. Why do you have to be so serious all the time? Seriously?" she impersonated Mac. He glared.

"Just, ugh!"

"Wow that's a good one," Kelly walked out. He rolled his eyes.

……………………………………………………

"It's not like they can kill each other. Both are in so much pain," Hawkes said. Everyone agreed.

"Yeah, I guess. I still think we shouldn't have left them there. It's not their fault that they are on night shift," Stella looked away. "I wanted the night off."

"Yeah, well, I'm going back there," Hawkes got up.

………………………………………………….

Kelly was in the A/V lab to annoy Mac. She had the music as loud as she dared which was pretty high. She turned on _Death Cab For Cutie_. Mac could get over this. She leaned back in her chair and saw Mac at the door way glaring at her. She turned the music up.

"I'm sorry are you trying to tell me something?" Kelly yelled. Mac turned the music off.

"That's really immature," he told her.

"Oh because you are mature. I can't see this fight going anywhere, but a place crawling with terrible insults," Kelly laughed. Mac had the same look he had when he turned off the music.

"Do you know what time it is?" she asked him.

"They stole my watch. Anyways it would hurt too much to wear it. Don't you have your cell phone?"

"No, it broke. I'm waiting for another one. You?" she asked.

"Same," he sighed.

"This is pathetic. We're stuck here without our dates," Kelly said.

"I wouldn't say that," Hawkes told her from the doorway.

"This would be really romantic if I wasn't sore everywhere and I wasn't here," Kelly said.

"Yeah, I kind of pictured this moment differently," Hawkes replied.

"Well, please tell me that I wasn't in that picture," Mac told him.

"Definitely not," Hawkes and Kelly said together.

"You two really are perfect for each other," Mac walked out.

"I brought you some _Advil_, and you are going to have some," Hawkes told her. She smiled, but did take some. "How are you?"

"I don't know. I really felt like killing Mac back there. Now, I don't," she answered.

"Why don't we take his shift? There's not any work really," he suggested.

"Yeah, I guess we should"

…………………………………………………….

Mac knocked on her door. She opened it.

"Wow you look like crap," she said.

"Thanks," Mac replied. He pulled her into a kiss.

"Isn't this going to hurt you?"

"Probably, but you're worth it," he kissed her. He pulled apart quickly. "Maybe not. Ouch my side is killing me." She pulled her hand away smiling.

"Sorry"

"I love you," he kissed her again. She kissed him back. He didn't stop even though it was an excruciating pain.

"Mac," she wanted to lay her head on his chest, but he was still hurt. He pulled her close anyway.

"I will follow you into the dark," he told her.

"What?"

"Kelly had her iPod blasting in the lab. It's a song," he kissed her again.

"I know, Mac," she told him.

_Love of mine, someday you will die  
__But I'll be close behind  
__I'll follow you into the dark_

_No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white  
__Just our hands clasped so tight  
__Waiting for a hint of a spark_

_If Heaven and Hell decide  
__That they both are satisfied  
__Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs_

_If there's no one beside you  
__When your soul embarks  
__Then I'll follow you into the dark_

_In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule  
__I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black  
__And I held my tongue as she told me  
_"_Son, fear is the heart of love"  
__So I never went back_

_If Heaven and Hell decide  
__That they both are satisfied  
__Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs_

_If there's no one beside you  
__When your soul embarks  
__Then I'll follow you into the dark_

_You and me have seen everything to see  
__From Bangkok to Calgary  
__And the soles of your shoes  
__Are all worn down_

_The time for sleep is now  
__It's nothing to cry about  
_'_Cause we'll hold each other soon  
__In the blackest of rooms_

_If Heaven and Hell decide  
__That they both are satisfied  
__Illuminate the no's in their vacancy signs_

_If there's no one beside you  
__When your soul embarks  
__Then I'll follow you into the dark  
__Then I'll follow you into the dark_

**After Notes: That song is a little morbid, and the title was a misnomer. I hope that my offering works. Who am I trying to please? The gods? Please don't eat me! That song is **_**I'll Follow You Into The Dark**_** by **_**Death Cab For Cutie**_**. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: Blue Shadowdancer, lily moonlight, EverythingIsConnected, GregRox, CSIMiami17, and Bonasera! They rock! Hope you had a great day! :D**


	44. The One With The Party

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I suppose I should try my luck at this one. Thought it would be fun for the CSI's to go to a party. Well, accompanied by our favorite detective and his date. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Party**

"I can't believe that we have to go," Kelly complained to Hawkes.

"Well, we do so we best not be late," he told her.

"Yes, so I ought to change. It's a nice dress," Kelly told them.

"Doing this to bug Danny and Flack?"

"Yeah!"

…………………………………………..

"Why do we have to go to this?" Danny whined.

"Because we have to," Lindsay replied. She tied Danny's bow tie on the tuxedo.

"Ugh! I hate this!" he loosened the bow tie. Lindsay sighed.

…………………………………………….

"Why do the CSI's have to go?" Mac asked.

"Because they do," Stella answered.

"Or because the Mayor has no friends so he's making the CSI's go to this," Mac mumbled angrily.

"The CSI's? You know I'm one of them too, Mac," she answered in mock hurt.

"Yes, I mean the other CSI's. The lowly ones," he replied.

"Again, just a lowly CSI," she told him.

"Sorry, but even if the CSI's weren't invited you know you would be my date," he said.

"Yes, I do"

"Well, aren't you smug?"

"Well, aren't you sarcastic?"

……………………………………………….

"I don't know why we have to go," Angell told Flack.

"I don't want to go either!" he replied.

"Yeah, I wonder if we can leave early," she thought out loud.

"Like five minutes in?"

"Yes, that's why I like you"

……………………………………………….

"So no one wants to be here, but if we aren't there we get yelled at by Mac?" Danny asked. "That's stupid."

"Yes, I know it is. I won't be yelled at by Mac if I leave," Flack said smugly.

"Yes, but you get yelled at by Sinclair. I'd take Mac over Sinclair," Danny told him.

"Hey guys," Kelly greeted them.

"Kelly?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, want to close your mouth? You're catching flies," a quick high five with Flack. Danny had a sour look on his face. Kelly and Flack laughed. "Why are we even here?"

"I have no clue," Danny answered. They all sighed and sat down. Somewhere their dates were conversing and dancing with other people.

"Yes!" Flack finally said.

"What?!" Kelly and Danny seemed to ask at the same time.

"The Yankees are winning," he said looking at his phone. The other two looked at the phone for updates via internet. Maybe the party wouldn't be too bad after all. Maybe they wouldn't get caught trying to find the game. They put the game on quietly.

………………………………………………….

"So do you want to dance?" someone asked Hawkes.

"No, I'm waiting for the baseball game to be over. Then my girlfriend will stop hanging with her guy friends and come over and dance or something," he told her.

"Okay, your loss"

"I'll live," Hawkes answered.

……………………………………………………

"Kelly, I want you to meet someone," a friend of hers said.

"First, I'm listening to the game. Second, I have a boyfriend. He's over there somewhere," Kelly didn't even turn from the phone.

"Fine, your loss. He's a friend of mine. I think you two could hit it off," she said.

"No, I don't cheat. Hawkes and I are happy," she turned her attention to the game.

……………………………………………..

"Are they winning?" someone asked behind them.

"Yeah," Flack said. He turned the volume up. Now there were four listening to the game.

"Kelly Higgins, Danny Messer, Donald Flack Jr. what were you three thinking?" Mac asked.

"Well, right now it's along the lines of crap!" Kelly said. Mac felt a smile fighting for a place on his face.

"The game is on," Flack told him.

"Really?" there was that sarcasm.

"Yanks are winning," Danny said. Mac looked at the three of them. They were trying to sink away from him.

"You three are embarrassing this lab. Flack, I don't know how you are embarrassing it, but I'm sure you are," Mac told them sternly.

"We've certainly learned our lesson. See you tomorrow, Mac," Kelly started walking away. Mac was too annoyed with her to stop her. Danny and Flack also left though they were laughing.

"You didn't have to do that, Detective Taylor," the person who was listening with the others said.

"Mayor?" Mac was genuinely shocked, and lately that took a lot to do.

………………………………………………

"I just realized something," Kelly told Danny and Flack. The three of them were in a corner listening to the last of the game.

"What?"

"The guy who was listening to the game with us is the mayor," Kelly said. The three of them looked at each other and laughed at how they didn't realize that.

"Shh!" Danny said. The final score was Yankees seven, Red Sox three.

"Yes!" Kelly was obviously excited.

"Would you like a drink?" some guy came up to Kelly.

"I don't drink, and I have a boyfriend," she said annoyed.

"You two want drinks?"

"I'm straight and getting married soon," Danny said.

"I have a girlfriend," Flack answered. That guy walked off.

"Did he just hit on all three of us?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah," they all laughed.

…………………………………………………………..

"Hawkes, you want to bail?" Kelly asked

"Yeah!" he said a little too enthusiastically.

"Yanks won," she told him.

"You look great," he told her.

"Thanks. So do you," she kissed him softly.

"I love going to parties," he told her.

"Bet you do," she replied.

…………………………………………………………….

"Montana," Danny whispered in her ear as he put his arms around her.

"Danny," she mumbled.

"I love ya," he told her.

"I know"

…………………………………………………………….

"Looks like the CSI's are having fun," Mac noticed as they were all paired off. Even Flack was enjoying talking to Angell. He, however, had a great plate of food in front of him.

"Yeah, the CSI's are having fun. Do you want us calling you the boss now?" Stella teased.

"Ha ha, no, I'm perfectly fine," he told her.

"So isn't this great?" there was only a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

"Well, it's great being with you," he kissed her.

"Yeah, like we aren't with each other every other moment of the day," Stella was the sarcastic one now.

"Wow, did we just switch places?"

"Maybe, Mac"

"Where did the CSI's go?" he asked.

"Left I think. Even Flack left. I do believe he finished that plate of food," Stella said.

"Lucky them," Mac groaned.

"Just like an hour more," Stella told him. No one wanted to be at that party. Mac had already told Kelly, Danny, and Flack off once. They finally left.

………………………………………………………

"That party was fun," Lindsay defended.

"Yes, of course you didn't get hit and then watch Danny and Flack get hit on by the same guy," Kelly said making her laugh.

"I wish I could've seen that," Lindsay sighed.

"No you don't," Kelly told her. "Trust me."

………………………………………………………….

"Mackey Boi! What's up?" Kelly asked when he got into the trace lab. She and Danny were in there. "Wait before you talk to us. Danny, you wanted to go to lunch?" Finally, that excuse would work. Mac didn't look too mad.

"Yes, I did. Let's go," Danny told her quickly. She and he left the lab as quickly as they could.

……………………………………………………………

"So you want me to be a groom's maid?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah, you're my best gal friend behind Lindsay. Plus, I knew someone who had done it before," Danny told her.

"Wow, I don't know what to say," her phone rang. "It's Mac."

"Let's get back to the lab then"

……………………………………………………………..

"We're back, Mac, relax…" she trailed off. He wasn't in the trace lab. Danny came in.

"Cool, he's not here"

"Yeah, too bad we'll be fired if we play Scalpel Darts," she sighed.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him," Danny said.

"Or he's standing right behind you two," Mac told them from the door way. They turned around. "I hope you two's dare I say lunch date was important."

"It was. I'm a groom's maid in the wedding," Kelly said. Mac nodded. _Of course._

"Before you say anything, it was an important game, and the mayor was listening to it too," Danny told Mac. The look he got. Kelly and Danny always seemed to get into trouble.

"I don't even know what to say. I think that I've told you these things so many times. I think that I'm just going to let this one be," Mac walked out. Kelly and Danny smiled.

…………………………………………………………..

"How were the CSI's?" Stella teased.

"Would you rather me go through all their names?" Mac asked.

"Well, no, but it's almost demeaning. You aren't the only one who gets epiphanies," she replied.

"True," Mac answered.

"So what's the plan?"

"I didn't know I was predictable," Mac said.

"Yeah"

"That's smug"

"I can be smug. I thought you knew what you were getting into, Mac"

"I did and still do," he leaned in.

…………………………………………………..

"Montana," Danny rang when he got home.

"Messer," she answered.

"I can still call you Montana when we're married, right?" he asked. She laughed.

"Sure, Danny," she answered.

"I love you," he told her running a finger down her cheek.

"I love you too," she answered.

_I wear a greasy ball cap  
__I like my shirt untucked  
__I spend Saturdays working on my truck  
__I don't like to fight  
__But I ain't scared to bleed  
__Most don't mess with a guy like me_

'_Cause guys like me drink too many beers on Friday after work  
__Our best blue jeans have Skoal rings  
__We wear our boots to church  
__So rough around the edges  
__It's hard to believe  
__That girls like you  
__Love guys like me_

_Your daddy worked at the bank  
__Mine worked on cars  
__You went to college  
__I pulled graveyard  
__You must have had the pick  
__Of all the trust fund types  
__But you came back to me and only God knows why_

'_Cause guys like me drink too many beers on Friday after work  
__Our best blue jeans have Skoal rings  
__We wear out boots to church  
__So rough around the edges  
__It's hard to believe  
__That girls like you  
__Love guys like me_

_Now there's a lot of guys like me out there  
__In a lot of little towns  
__And tellin' all our buddies, we won't ever settle down  
__We say that's the way we are and the way we'll always be  
__So God sends girls like you for guys like me  
__Thank God there's girls like you for guys like me_

"If I could, I would marry you right now," Danny told her.

…………………………………………………..

"Wow, it's beautiful tonight," Stella said walking in the park.

"It is"

_In my place, in my place  
__Were lines I couldn't change  
__I was lost, oh yeah  
__I was lost, I was lost  
__Crossed lines I shouldn't have crossed  
__I was lost, oh yeah_

_Yeah  
__How long must you wait for it?  
__Yeah  
__How long must you pay for it?  
__Yeah  
__How long must wait for it?  
__Oh for it_

_I was scared, I was scared  
__Tired and under prepared  
__But I'll wait for it  
__If you go, if you go  
__And leave me down here on my own  
__Then I'll wait for you_

_Yeah  
__How long must you wait for it?  
__Yeah  
__How long must you pay for it?  
__Yeah  
__How long must you wait for it?  
__Oh for it_

_Singing, ohh, ohh  
__Please, please, please  
__Come back and sing to me, to me, me  
__Come on and sing it out now, now  
__Come on and sing it out to me, me  
__Come back and sing_

_In my place, in my place  
__Were lines that I couldn't change  
__I was lost, oh yeah  
__Oh yeah_

"But it's not as beautiful as you are, Stell," Mac told her.

"What a line," she teased.

**After Notes: I think that it's actually called Author's Notes. Oh well, normalcy isn't really my style. I actually know someone who was a groom's maid. They are real! Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, lily moonlight, EverythingIsConnected, Bonasera, Blue Shadowdancer, and CSIMiami17! They rock! The first song is _Guys Like Me _by _Eric Church._ The second one is _In My Place _by _Coldplay. _Hope you had a great day! :D**


	45. The One With The Flashbacks

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. **

**Notes: Just a fun one with the whole gang. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Flashbacks**

"Okay, Mac and Kelly, this one's for you," Danny said. They were utterly embarrassed.

"Danny, stop before you start," Kelly told him. He rolled his eyes.

"I want to know," Flack replied. Kelly and Mac glared. Whatever it was, it didn't happen like it would be told.

"_So Mac I've been working on the trace, but before you ask, no, I haven't gotten the results back yet," Kelly turned coming face to face with him. He had been looking over her shoulder at the monitor. "Well, this is awkward."_

"_I was… um… looking at the monitor," Mac said awkwardly._

"_Didn't look like that," Danny said from the microscope on the other side of the room. He was 'working.'_

"I don't remember that," Kelly told him. "What about you, Mac?"

"No, that never happened," Mac said. "Danny, you really need to stop lying." Kelly laughed. The others didn't know who to believe.

"Yeah, like what you did on my first day. Yes, that's what you say to Mac," Lindsay said. Danny smirked.

"That was a good one," Flack laughed.

"Not as good as what Kelly caught Mac and Stella doing," Danny said.

"What?!" Mac, Stella, _and_ Kelly said at once.

"Okay, I'm bluffing," Danny rolled his eyes. Mac glared. Stella and Kelly, who both had a very light hearted sense of humor, laughed. Kelly probably would have already said something if she actually had seen something. Something that juicy would be hard to keep quiet if anyone had known anything. Now no one knew anything. If no one knew, then no one would have guessed they were together. Little touches and smiles but nothing else. "Kelly, how did you figure it out anyway?"

"I'm just a better CSI than y'all," she said getting looks from the others. "I watched, and looked into their eyes around each other. Actually, that's not true. I just saw them holding hands one day at the lab, and I knew them both well enough that they wouldn't do that if there wasn't something more."

"So you weren't lying when you said that?" Danny asked.

"No, I wasn't. Yes, Kelly, get the verbs," she mocked Danny. They laughed.

"Okay, remember that close call between Flack and Danny?" Lindsay asked. Kelly laughed.

"Oh yeah"

"_So then she does this," Danny puts his hand on Flack's chest. Flack was red with embarrassment._

"_Are you two ready for your table? Oh, I'll just leave you two alone," the hostess said. If that wasn't enough, Kelly and Lindsay came in with the file._

"_Wow, that's hot guys," Kelly said. Danny finally pulled his hand away._

"I knew Flack and Danny were gay," Angell said joking. They glared.

"What about that time where Danny accidently flirted with Mac or was it with Stella?" Flack asked.

"Who could forget?"

"_We should go out there again sometime. It was fun," Lindsay left after putting up evidence. Danny however was looking at some evidence so he didn't see that. Mac walked in for some results and to talk to Stella who was working on finding the use for her trace. Okay, maybe flirt with her instead of talking to her. That wasn't the point though. An ulterior motive, maybe. _

"_So you looked really sexy last night," Danny said still not turning around. Mac however was where Lindsay had been standing. He looked around hoping Danny was talking to someone else._

"_Please, please tell me you weren't talking to me," Mac told him. Danny turned around red._

"I remember that," Stella laughed.

"I have a question for Danny and Flack. How come you have to tell me every single little detail of your nights? I can't look at Lindsay and Angell the same way again," Kelly asked obviously disturbed by it. Mac and Stella laughed.

"I still want to know what happened on Kelly and Mac's 'talks' or whatever they were," Danny stated.

"Nothing," Mac, Kelly, and to everyone else's surprise Hawkes replied.

"Yeah, right," Danny mumbled.

"What happened with Rikki? You won't tell will you?" Kelly asked.

"So you slept with him?"

"That's quite a jump!" Kelly said quickly. "To normal people, talk actually means talk." Danny scowled.

"Except with Danny and Flack where apparently it means something else," Mac whispered to Kelly. She smiled.

"Oh what is that? Some joke that only you two would get when you two…" Danny trailed off at Kelly's look.

"Mac knows how hard I can punch; I mean you should have seen those guys. Danny, do you really want to find out how bad of a beat down I can give?" Kelly threatened.

"Kelly!" Mac told her.

"Sorry, thought he should know," Kelly said a glint still in her eyes.

"Oh, you wouldn't beat me a month before my wedding," Danny said.

"That's what you think"

"Kelly, calm down. Let him have his fun," Mac told her. Mac seemed to be the only one she would listen to lately. She glared at Danny. He sunk down in his seat. She nodded.

"That's right listen to Mac," Danny taunted. This time it was Mac who lost it.

"You're crossing a very thin line that you don't want to cross," Mac told him.

"Sorry," Danny mumbled.

"I don't get why you two don't work together. In the interrogation room, you two are one of our best teams," Flack said.

"Let's see. I got knocked out, we were both in a bomb, and we were both taken hostage. We don't like to continue that streak," Kelly told him. "But we do rock." She smiled.

"I remember when that suspect hit on Mac," Flack said. Kelly was cracking up.

"That was so amazing," Kelly said between laughs.

"Kind of like when you 'flirted' with Mac," Flack told her.

"It wasn't flirting. It was a playful banter. Wait, which time were you talking about?" Kelly asked.

"That concerns me," Danny replied.

"The time with the maroon," Flack told her.

"Like I said, which time," Kelly said. Flack and Danny grinned hugely.

"More than once?"

"It's a playful banter!" Kelly laughed.

"Sure it is," Danny told him.

"I say we recap," Flack told the others.

_Mac Taylor walked into the lab having folded his coat over his arm. Kelly, Danny, and Stella were in the break room. Kelly was sitting on the counter sipping coffee. Stella and Danny were sitting at the table talking. When Mac walked in, Kelly had the perfect idea of how to embarrass him. She wolf whistled at him. _

"_Looking good," Kelly said with a straight face. Danny and Stella were laughing, and Mac was blushing._

"_Liking the new shirt, Mac," Kelly continued. Mac had turned a deep shade of red. Danny and Stella were having trouble breathing they were laughing so hard. Kelly was enjoying this so much. She finished her coffee. Somehow she kept a straight face throughout this._

"_The maroon looks nice on you. Brings out the color in your eyes," Kelly walked out._

"You can't forget the winks and lines throughout that shift. Don't forget when they fight. It just works," Danny said.

"Okay, I'm not here," Hawkes was showing his sarcastic side.

"Oh, don't forget their nicknames for each other, and when he helped her walk after getting hit in the head. I did help too though so I don't know," At this point both Kelly and Mac were thoroughly embarrassed.

"And the counseling," Danny insisted.

"I was hoping to forget that"

"_So how often have you had these fights?" Dr. Phillips asked. Mac and Kelly glanced at each other then looked back at the doctor._

"_Recently, three to four times a week," Mac answered. Kelly nodded. That was about right._

"_How has this affected intimacy?" he asked. Mac and Kelly looked at each other in shock. Mac's eyes were wide. Kelly was trying not to laugh. Her and Mac? The thought made her want to roll on the floor laughing._

"_No, no we aren't together," Mac said quickly. Kelly decided to have some fun._

"_He's in denial," she put her hand on Mac's arms._

"I see that you forgot where we have another fight," Mac told the guys.

"Whatever. Sexual tension," Danny teased them. He got looks to kill from Kelly and Mac. They could kill him and hide the body so no one would find him.

"What about them taking care of each other in the explosion?"

"That is a good one"

"Also here that one night with your story?"

"_Sorry, I had to stay late," Kelly explained._

"_With Mac?" Flack joked._

"_Yeah"_

"I had to get him to sign something on the case," Kelly explained again.

"That wasn't even the best part of the night," Flack told her.

"I think we should've stopped the drinks at one," she said.

"_Twenty seconds and no tongue and obviously on the lips," Danny said. Kelly and Mac reluctantly agreed, but they got forty more dollars each for the length. So after much hesitating, the two enemies kissed much to the amusement of the others. Danny, Flack, Angell, Lindsay, and surprisingly Stella took pictures as proof of this. Danny was keeping time. _

"_Alright, it's been twenty seconds," he told them. Kelly and Mac didn't hear. Danny elbowed Flack. They were laughing. Stella and Hawkes were a little shocked that they were still kissing. Hawkes cleared his throat. Kelly and Mac separated. Mac rubbed the back of his neck while Kelly looked away. The others were laughing._

"_The money," Kelly demanded. Everyone got into their wallets and paid them._

"_Thirty seconds. That's a long time guys," Danny laughed._

"_Yeah, Danny hasn't had a relationship that's lasted that long," Lindsay dug. Everyone laughed. Mac was about to take a sip of his beer when he noticed something. He took the piece of gum out of his mouth._

"_Kelly, you were right. Your Stride gum doesn't lose its flavor," Mac said putting the piece of chewing gum back in his mouth. Danny and Flack looked at each other._

"_Oh my gosh," Danny started cracking up._

"_I have to say that Mac is a better kisser than I thought," Kelly told the others._

"Finally, all those talks and Kelly being the last to see Mac," Flack laughed.

"You guys are dead. They'll never find your bodies," Kelly told them.

"We're just joking," Danny said.

"You're worse than Caitie," Kelly cursed.

"Yes, I almost forgot. Answering Mac's phone at four in the morning," Flack laughed. Kelly and Mac had reached a new level of embarrassment.

"Don't forget dancing. I think if Kelly gets married we already have the roast ready," Danny said. Kelly had sunken down in her chair. She had reached a new shade of red. Mac was almost just as red as her.

"Shut up!" Kelly said thoroughly humiliated. It was having your life displayed for everyone to see. She was not happy about that at all.

"And I can't think of anything you could have on us that is quite as humiliating as that," Flack said. Kelly glared.

"Except when I caught you and Angell in reconstruction," Kelly said.

"Didn't you tell a suspect that?" Flack asked feeling confident.

"No, I meant two weeks ago," she said smugly. Flack's smile vanished on the spot. He glared. Kelly felt some of her embarrassment go away.

**After Notes: Just a fun one. Not long, but not short. I just kind of wanted to recap all of the embarrassing stuff that's happened. Most of it was to Mac and Kelly. Oddly enough the 'sexual tension' is what some people tell me is there. I tell them that it's Mac/Stella. I thought I would humor y'all. I hope it was funny! Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: EverythingIsConnected, luf100, lily moonlight, GregRox, Bonasera, CSIMiami17, and Blue Shadowdancer! They rock! Hope you all had a great day! :D**


	46. The One With The Contest

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together as they ought to be.**

**Notes:.I came up with the idea before I watched a movie with two guys. The guys don't know I write. Just thought I'd mention that. Make you guys think that I could score two guys. Well, I can't. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Contest**

"We'll take you on. Basketball. Two on two. Tomorrow at the regular courts. And bring your game," it was set. CSI's vs. Detectives.

………………………………………………….

"Okay, so you decided to embarrass us again?" Mac asked Danny.

"No, Kelly and I are playing," Danny told him.

"Is she any good?" he asked.

"Yeah, you weren't there for girls and guys basketball," Danny told him.

"It's called a life," Mac answered.

"Speaking of which. I heard they are giving them away at the corner of 42nd and 5th. Might want to look into getting one," Kelly came in. Mac glared. She smiled enjoying the moment. "Yes, Mac, I can play."

"Good luck," Mac said laughing. He left. Kelly scowled.

…………………………………………………………..

"Did you bring your game, Flack?" Danny asked. He and Kelly were ready.

"Ha ha ha. One team has to be skins. I say it's us because of Kelly," Flack replied. "Not that I wouldn't mind the other way." Kelly slapped him. "Never mind."

"You can have ball first," the detective next to Flack said. His name was Ward Lawson. Detective Lawson gave the CSI's the ball.

"Fine, watch and learn," Danny checked the ball. After he got it back, he passed it off to Kelly. Flack came up and guarded her. She had a steady crossover dribble. She faked left and spun right dribbling past Don. She bounce passed it to Danny who was running down the other side of the court. He took two steps jumped then let the ball go up into the hoop. With a swishing sound, the CSI's took their first lead. The NYPD detectives had a determined look in their eyes.

……………………………………………………….

"I said I would stop by," Mac said. The four basketball players were dripping in sweat. "Well, isn't that hot, Kelly?" He was being sarcastic again.

"What's up boss?" she asked catching her breath. Mac smiled.

"Score?"

"Tie game. Way better than last year. I think we found a good team for once," Danny replied. Mac laughed.

"Guess I need to watch to see. Who's playing with Flack?" Mac asked.

"Detective Lawson. He's new. Think he has a crush on Angell," Kelly told him.

"You tell Flack that, and you two are guaranteed to win," Mac said.

"Not cheating unless they do first," Kelly replied.

"It's not cheating. It's a strategy," Danny stated.

"No, not unless they cheat first," Kelly said.

"Guess it's a good thing you aren't into hot guys," Danny told her. She and Mac laughed.

"You did it again. You made a gay comment," Mac shook his head. Danny turned red.

"Are you going to play? Or are you two going to flirt with Mac?" the new detective asked.

"Catching on quick I see. Well, there's something you should know. Detective Flack is dating Detective Angell. And it's not flirting. It's a playful banter," Kelly called back.

"You like my girlfriend?"

"Um, I didn't know you were dating," Ward answered.

"Well, I guess it's good that I can score someone that hot," Flack answered.

"That backfired," Kelly told Mac and Danny.

"Well, go out there and win. I won't have my CSI's embarrassed again," Mac was leaning on his side of the fence.

"Alright, let's kick their butts," Danny told her. They left Mac to watch over there. The Detectives got the ball first. Mac watched the game unfold.

"Hey there stranger," Stella told him.

"Hey yourself," he answered turning towards her.

"You watching the game?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess I am. The CSI's are doing well," he told her. She put her hand on his arm. "What was that for?"

"Must there be a reason for everything?" Stella asked. He smiled and kissed her forehead. She grinned. "Who's winning?"

"I think the Detectives are. No it's tied now. Kelly just scored. I didn't know she played. It was so embarrassing last year when Danny played Flack one on one. I guess that's why she didn't play last year," Mac said.

"Yeah, so are you going to watch this game or come with me," she took his hand.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" he asked. She whispered something in his ear, and he smiled. "Well, I guess they don't need me watching." The two of them walked off hand in hand.

"Mac sucks," Kelly told Danny.

"Yeah, thought that would happen," Danny replied.

"You two going to play or watch your boss?" Ward asked.

"I don't like the new guy," Kelly whispered to Danny who laughed. The Detectives had the ball. Flack spun around Kelly and dribbled in for the layup.

"What was that for?" Danny asked.

"I don't know," Kelly answered. "I think I'm hungry. We've been at this for around three hours."

"You quitting on me, Higgins?" Ward asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't quit. I'm just hungry," she answered.

"Still can't believe that you can play like this," he told her.

"I had two older brothers. I can play like that," she replied. "Also, don't try with the humor. I do that around here too." It was a warning to back off.

"I haven't seen you make a funny comment yet," Ward stated what he saw.

"I haven't had the opportunity," she answered.

"You've had lots of opportunities. Bet you aren't that great with the humor," Ward challenged.

"Watch your tongue. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you," she snarled.

"You couldn't hurt me," he answered cocky in his own way.

"I wouldn't say that," Flack warned him.

"Fine, one on one. No foul calls. Let's see who can tough it out," Kelly met his answer with a glint in her eyes. "I don't know though. After all, I don't hit other women."

"It's on," Ward told her. Flack and Danny could see that this was only going to turn into a fist fight, but they left it be to avoid being in the middle of it.

"Okay, ladies first," Kelly tossed him the ball. He glared, but he dribbled it down. She was at his side. She got ahead and 'accidently' elbowed him in the nose. He was bleeding. He was going to learn the hard way that she could fight. He turned around and pushed her. The ball abandoned. A fist fight took up. Kelly punched his jaw. He clipped hers. Danny and Flack intervened.

"Okay, you two! Enough!" Flack told them. They glared at each other.

"It's a tie. The game is a tie. It could go on forever," Danny was holding Kelly back. Flack was holding Ward. "Kelly, come on. Mac would say you are embarrassing the lab. Of course, Ward isn't doing such a hot job either."

…………………………………………………

"How was the game?" Mac asked.

"It was a tie," Kelly answered.

"Took it that badly?" Mac questioned.

"No, Ward and I got into a fist fight because of some things he said," Kelly told him. "You bailed."

"Yeah, I know. I got bored," he lied. No, he would've stayed, but he'd rather be with Stella.

………………………………………………………..

"Hey," Hawkes told her.

"Hi," she answered.

"Heard about the game," he told her.

"Yeah, I know. You couldn't be there. You've been gone a lot," she reminded him.

"I'll make it up to you," he said.

"Yes, you will," she kissed him; he kissed her back. She put her hand on the back of his neck. He delicately played with the hem of her shirt. Their intensions obvious.

………………………………………………………...

"Morning," he kissed her forehead. She smiled.

"We're going to be late for work," she told him getting up. He sighed and got up with her.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear. She smiled.

"I know," she answered. They kissed again.

…………………………………………………………..

"Morning," Kelly told Mac. He didn't even phase from his work mode. That and he had ear plugs in. It might have been the ballistics lab. She walked into trace somehow the second most popular place behind the break room.

"Hey," she came up behind Hawkes. He looked at her smiling.

"Hey, maybe I should miss things more often," he laughed. She gave him a look but smiled.

"So anything on that case?"

"Nope"

………………………………………………………….

"Stell," Mac twirled her hair with his finger.

"Mac," she answered intertwining her hand in his. They smiled. It was intoxicating to be in each other's presence. As a junkie is addicted to his drugs, they were addicted to each other. They just craved each other more and more whenever they were apart. She was his heroine. She would always be his drug. He needed her more and more every day. He loved her. He held her tightly not ever wanting her to leave him. He kissed the top of her head. He would admit that his weakness was Stella Bonasera.

……………………...

"Lindsay, we're getting married in three weeks," Danny kissed her.

"I know, I can't believe it," she smiled.

"Yeah, who should I have do the speech at the rehearsal dinner," he asked.

"I don't know. Isn't Flack the best man?"

"Yeah, but he might drink, and he does things he regrets when he drinks"

"Okay, then have Kelly do the speech"

"I can't. She can be mean with her jokes. But she's hilarious"

"Then have them both have a speech," she told him getting up from her chair.

"I guess I will," he answered.

...

"Kelly, Flack, I've decided on who I'm going to give the honor of speaking to," Danny told them.

"Flack's your best man. Isn't he speaking?" Kelly asked.

"No, I'm letting both of you speak. I thought since you are my best friend, and you are my second best gal friend," Danny told them his thoughts.

"That's great. I'm allowed to make it funny, right?" Kelly wondered.

"Yes, Kelly, you can," Danny sighed.

"Awesome," Kelly and Flack shared a quick moment.

"I think that you need to find a tux, Flack. Kelly, you need to find a black dress," Danny told them. They groaned. _Shopping. Great. _

"Fine, but I need some help shopping," Kelly said. Flack told him something of the sort.

"Okay, I'll ask if Lindsay can help you. Flack, I don't know how to help you," Danny replied.

………………………………………………………………

"What have you been doing?" Kelly asked her boyfriend.

"Just some things. If you must know, I can't tell you," he told her.

"Yes, that definitely satisfies my curiosity," sarcasm crept into that sentence.

"You did the same to me with Mac," he replied.

"Yes, but you did accuse me of sleeping with him which you know to be a lie. You know how much I love you," she told him.

"You could show me again"

"You wish, Doc," she whispered laughing. He smiled pulling her close smelling her hair. She rested her head on his chest listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. She loved him so much that words could not express it.

"I do"

…………………………………………………………

"Ah, Stella, Shakespeare may have been close, but even he couldn't begin to describe your beauty," Mac told her.

"Another line," she smiled. He laughed taking in the moment. Savoring it like a picture in a scrapbook. He didn't want it to go away. Not that he didn't want to spend forever with her, but he wanted to make this last forever.

_Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?  
__Thou art more lovely and more temperate.  
__Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,  
__And summer's lease hath all too short a date.  
__Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,  
__And often is his gold complexion dimmed;  
__And every fair from fair sometime declines,  
__By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed.  
__But thy eternal summer shall not fade  
__Nor lose possession or that fair thou ow'st;  
__Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,  
__When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,  
__So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,  
__So long lives this, and this gives life to thee._

**After Notes: There it is. It didn't start off romantic at all. That's the irony. These never start out the way I plan. Well, sometimes they do. FFN can't send me emails so I'm sorry if I didn't reply to your reviews. If you sent me something, I'm sorry. I was a little worry with the romance. That poem at the end is **_**Shall I compare thee to a summer's day (Sonnet 18)**_** by **_**William Shakespeare**_**. Hope you all liked it. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: Lyric Mania, lily moonlight, Bonasera, CSIMiami17, GregRox, EverythingIsConnected, and Mrs. Ioan Gruffud! They rock my world! I would like to thank that wonderful chat room because even if they support strange ships. Huffy forever! It rocks! I do love that ship in a joking way. Hope you all had a great day! :D**


	47. The One With The Wedding

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Daniel Messer and Lindsay Monroe request the honor of your presence at their wedding. **

**The One With The Wedding**

"Okay, I guess it's time for my speech," Flack announced at the rehearsal dinner. "I've known Danny for around forever. We've worked together for a long time. I've even taken his habit of saying boom. He's my best friend. I always knew he would get married first out of our group. I'm not really good with speeches so to Danny and Lindsay." Everyone raised their glasses.

"Nice speech," Kelly told Flack. "Okay, I guess I should have my speech. I am not the best man obviously, but I am great friends with Danny. Ever since I started at the crime lab. We always seem to get into trouble, and he always seems to get out of it. I don't know how, but he always seems to get me out of it too. I don't know Lindsay quite as well, but I do know that Danny's crazy about her and she about him. I just want to say congratulations. To Danny and Lindsay!"

"Yours was good," Flack told her. She had a smug look on her face. "I would like to say some more words about Danny." Kelly's smug look vanished. "Danny is a great friend to have if you want to talk. He may not give good advice, but he listens. To Danny and Lindsay."

"I guess I should say something more," Kelly started. Flack glared. "Danny is awesome. I mean who else would make sure I got home safely when I drink too much. Wait, I don't drink. I was talking about Flack here. Danny always makes sure his drunken friend gets home safely at least twice a week." Flack had a look to kill on his face.

"Oh, go make out with Mac," he told her. He would regret that.

"At least I don't hit on witnesses and suspects. Especially since you're dating someone. How does Angell like that?" Kelly went there.

"Okay, you two," Danny said embarrassed. They sat down glaring at each other. They weren't mad at each other. They would get over this.

…………………………………………………

"Detective Higgins"

"Looking spiffy, Mac," she responded.

"Well, I try," he responded playing with the knot on his tie.

"Save me a dance," she winked at him.

"I think I'll take you up on that," he told her hiding a smile.

"What?!" she stopped smiling. Mac started. When she realized it was a joke, she laughed. "Touché."

"What if I was serious?"

"You weren't, were you?"

"No, not at all," he smiled.

……………………………………………………

"Well, hello Miss Monroe," Danny mumbled when she came down the aisle. He was smiling. She looked absolutely wonderful. She glowed as she walked down the aisle. Danny was just lucky to have a girl like her.

……………………………………………………

"Do you Daniel Messer take Lindsay Monroe as your lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold in sickness and in health till death do you part?" the reverend asked.

"I do," he smiled. This was the greatest day of his life. He was definitely glowing as much as Lindsay. Of course the room was basked in sunlight. But his glow didn't come from the sun. It came from the happiness he felt because he was marrying Lindsay Monroe soon to be Lindsay Messer.

"Do you Lindsay Monroe take Daniel Messer as your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold in sickness and in health till death do you part?" the reverend turned the question to Lindsay.

"I do," she grinned hugely.

"Are there any who do not wish this couple married?" Kelly decided against making a joke. "If there are no objections, you may now kiss your bride." Danny did. He kissed her softly.

…………………………………………………..

"Lindsay Monroe or should I say Messer," Kelly greeted them at the reception.

"How was it? Boring?" Lindsay asked.

"No, not at all," Kelly replied. They laughed. "I love weddings."

……………………………………………………….

"Son of a gun, Flack, you don't have to drink the entire place," Kelly told him. He laughed.

"Whatever, just because you don't drink doesn't mean that you should get onto me," Flack replied. "Have you ever had a drink?"

"Yes, that's why I don't," she answered. He nodded.

"You dancing tonight?"

"No, you?"

"Heck no!" Flack told her. She laughed.

"Well, so far so good," she replied. "If we do have to dance, make sure you ask Angell. Don't make her ask you." Flack laughed but understood.

"Sorry about last night," he mumbled. She nodded, her way of apologizing.

"I think we made complete fools of ourselves up there," she told him.

"Yeah," he responded distracted by Angell dancing with someone.

"That could be you," she told him.

"Yeah, I think I will dance with her," he told her.

……………………………………………………..

Danny swayed Lindsay back and forth. He smiled looking over seeing his friends talk. Flack got up to dance with Angell. Kelly stayed seated watching everyone. He turned his attention back to Lindsay. She looked gorgeous with a cream white dress. Danny held her more tightly fearing that this might only be a dream.

……………………………………………………….

"We've decided that after embarrassing ourselves we would have an actual toast," Kelly told them. Flack stood up with her. "For the couple who has survived so much."

"And inspired the rest of us…"

"We wish you a long and wonderful life…"

"We also got you two something…"

"Mac, you owe me, no us, a hundred dollars. It's split equally…"

"I only paid forty," Angell said. Flack and Kelly gave her a look to shut up. They were trying to make some money.

"Well, it's not much, but we did get you some pots and pans. We thought that would be the best thing we could give you that's appropriate," Kelly told them. They laughed, but thanked them.

"Well, anyway. To my best friends, Danny and Lindsay," Flack raised his glass as everyone else did. They drank to that.

………………………………………………….

"May I have this dance?" Hawkes asked her.

"Yes, you may," Kelly answered as he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor. "So what do you think?"

"Of what?"

"Marriage," she told him.

"I don't know," he said thinking hard. It was a lie. He knew at some point that he would ask her to marry him. When, he didn't know.

"Good because I don't know either," she told him as they danced to _Lost In This Moment_. Kelly asked for them to play it for Danny and Lindsay. Hawkes and she were dancing with the other couples too. Even Flack was out there.

_Lost in this moment with you  
__I am completely consumed  
__By feelings so absolute  
__There's no doubt_

_Sealing our love with a kiss  
__Waiting my whole life for this  
__Watching all my dreams come true  
__Lost in this moment with you_

Danny held Lindsay against his chest. The lyrics rushed through his veins guiding him as he danced to the music. He kissed the top of her head. They danced to the end of the song.

…………………………………………………………

"Okay, so I get my own scene since Danny and Lindsay are gone?" Kelly asked for the seventh time.

"Yes, now go before I change my mind," Mac rubbed the bridge of his nose. She smiled.

"Excellent," she replied and left. He rolled his eyes.

"Stella, we have a scene at 42nd and 6th," Mac told her. She got her kit.

…………………………………………………………..

"Wouldn't it be nice to be in Mexico right now?" Kelly asked Flack.

"Yeah, but we are in Manhattan," he answered. "I'm sorry again for what I said at the rehearsal dinner."

"It's okay, well, no, it isn't, but I forgive you," she answered. He nodded.

"So Mac finally took off the training wheels?"

"For now," she answered.

……………………………………………………………………

"So you finally took off Kelly's training wheels?" Angell joked.

"Ha ha," he answered. "For now."

"What do we have?" Stella asked.

"Homicide," Angell told her.

"No way," sarcasm returned.

"What's with the sarcasm?

**After Notes: This isn't long. I was having trouble so I wanted to update. I hope it was funny and sweet. I wrote another one shot today. It's called **_**Lunar Cycles**_**. I hope you all like that one. Please review (this one, not that I wouldn't mind you reviewing that one)! I would like to thank my reviewers: lily moonlight, Bonasera, kaidiii, GregRox, and Blue Shadowdancer! They rock! If you didn't get a review reply, it's not my fault because I sent them. I'm so sorry! :D The song lyrics are from **_**Lost In This Moment**_** by **_**Big and Rich**_**. Before I forget, I want to write a one shot based on _NCIS_'s episode _Under Covers_. Now, it has to be an awkward couple or it won't work. I need your help. Please tell me who would make that work. Hope you had a great day! XD**


	48. The One Without A Trace

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY, Without A Trace, or the FRIENDS storlines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. **

**Notes: I just came up with a new idea. It's a crossover if you haven't realized that from my disclaimer. Malone is the head in this. I like it better that way. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Without A Trace**

"I got you a coffee," Kelly came into the trailer where she and Mac were surveillance for Flack and Angell. They were undercover. "Why are we doing this again?"

"Thanks," Mac said taking the coffee. "Because we were asked to."

"Fine, I would almost rather work a case," she told him.

"Would you trust them with anyone else but yourself?" he asked her.

"No, though it would help if they weren't talking about what they are talking about. I get enough of that after their nights together," Kelly replied.

"I really pity you right now," Mac said.

"You should"

"Really?"

"Yeah"

"Can you two stop talking into the microphones? We can hear everything you say so please stop flirting," Flack mumbled so they could hear it. Kelly smiled.

"Only if you stop telling me the details of your nights," she answered.

"Fine," Flack replied. "And don't sit away from the microphone so you two can flirt."

"Not flirting," Kelly and Mac seemed to say at the same time.

"Whatever," Flack answered.

"Shut up!" Kelly told him smiling. Even though she could only see the back of his head from the camera, she knew he was rolling his eyes.

"Kelly Higgins," Flack laughed. She took her turn to roll her eyes.

………………………………………………….

"Kelly," Mac said after a long silence. She was asleep. Mac rolled his eyes. He would wake her up in a few hours for her to take watch. Maybe he could get some sleep. He could wake up refreshed and ready to keep up the surveillance. That is until he looked at the monitor. Where were they? Flack and Angell weren't there at the safe house anymore. He looked at all the other places they had cameras at.

"Flack!" he yelled into the microphone. No answer. He yelled it a few times. Still nothing. "Jessica!" Nothing. "Ugh! Kelly, get up!" He shook her shoulder. She jumped up.

"I'm up, I'm up!" she told him. "What's wrong?"

"Besides the missing under covers, nothing, I just wanted to talk," Mac said rather harshly. She rolled her eyes.

"Seriously?"

"What do you think?!"

"Where were they the last time you saw them?"

"In bed," Mac replied. Kelly was awake then. She remembered that. So many things she wanted to forget about that.

"Oh yes, I do remember that. We need to get Hawkes and Stella," she said.

"We should get the FBI in on this one," Mac told her.

………………………………………………

"Agent Jack Malone, Missing Persons," he introduced himself to the CSI's. Mac shook his hand. Kelly glared. She didn't like him from the start. Something about how he carried himself. "Where's the scene?"

"Safe house, apartment whatever," Kelly answered sarcastically and dryly. She was not in a great mood.

"Quite the catch here," Jack told Mac.

"I wouldn't," he warned. This was not going to go well. Kelly was already ticked at herself and Mac for letting them be taken, and now Jack Malone was getting on her nerves. She might have been judging him, but he just seemed to look at the CSI's like they weren't as good as him.

"Look, we've processed the scene. We are perfectly capable of running this investigation," she spat. Mac glared at her.

"Thank you for the help, Agent Malone. I'm Detective Mac Taylor, and this is Detective Kelly Higgins," he introduced himself to Jack. Kelly didn't make any movement to shake Malone's hand. She wasn't exactly hiding her feelings for him.

"Okay, so we need to start a timeline"

"We _already_ started one. It's back at the lab," Kelly told him. Mac would talk to her back at the lab. Could she be respectful once? He shot her a look.

…………………………………………………..

"Kelly, can't you just be respectful? He's FBI," that was the first thing Danny and Lindsay hear when they got back to the lab after a week in Mexico. They weren't entirely shocked that Kelly and Mac were fighting.

"Look, I just don't like the guy. I can't help it," the second thing they heard.

"Kelly, just for once can't you do what I ask?"

"You know what. I do that everyday"

"No, you don't"

"Welcome back," Danny whispered to Lindsay. She smiled.

"Let's find the others so we can get on a case," she told him. They crept by the fighting CSI's, who oddly enough hadn't been fighting much lately, to avoid getting into the argument. They walked into the layout room to find an unfamiliar face with Stella and Hawkes.

"Welcome back, guys," Stella greeted them.

"It's good to be back. Got quite the welcome back. Kelly and Mac fighting, I mean," Danny told her. The unfamiliar face turned to them.

"FBI Agent Jack Malone," he shook their hands. "Do they fight a lot?"

"Yeah," everyone else told him.

"Nothing between them?" he asked. "I know it's not my business, but I would like to know who I'm working with."

"No, not that we know of. It would be pretty hard to hide that," Hawkes told him. "Plus they hate each other except on the odd occasions they get along."

"So why is the FBI working with us?" Lindsay asked.

"I'm Missing Persons," Jack told them.

"Who's missing?"

"Flack and Angell," Stella told them. It was silent in the room. Danny and Lindsay hoped that it wasn't true.

"How?"

"We don't know. They were working under cover. Mac and Kelly were doing surveillance. Kelly fell asleep, and I don't know why Mac didn't see it," Stella told them. Another silence.

"You looked through the tapes yet?" Danny asked.

"Geez, why didn't we think of that?" Jack replied sarcastically.

"There wasn't anything," Hawkes told them. "The video just went from them asleep to no one there."

"Any leads?"

"DNA. There was blood in the room. It wasn't Angell's, but it was female. We think she is part of the gang they were trying to take down," Stella said.

"I have a question. Why did you let Kelly and Mac work together?" Lindsay asked.

"We don't know. I think Sinclair asked them to work this," Hawkes replied.

"What happens when they work together?"

"Things go wrong, Agent Malone," Stella answered.

"We have the results on that DNA," Kendall Novak told them.

"And?" Jack asked.

"It's a familial match to a woman released last month after she served time for shoplifting," Kendall handed Stella the report.

…………………………………………………….

"You don't like me very much do you, Detective Higgins?" Jack asked.

"Honestly, no, but I can work with you. I mean I work with Mac," she answered joking. He didn't laugh. "And you don't seem to have a sense of humor."

"Don't let this exterior fool you. I'm an internal optimist," Malone told her. She smiled. "We're here." They got out and walked up to the apartment. Kelly knocked on the door. "FBI. We need to talk to you, Mirium Velázquez."

"Okay," the door opened. She ushered them in. "Can I get you two anything?"

"No thank you," so Kelly could be polite, Jack thought. He shook his head.

"Alright how can I help you?"

"We found DNA belonging to your daughter at a crime scene," Jack said.

"What has she done now?" Mirium scooted closer to Malone. Kelly stifled a laugh. She passed it off as a cough.

"She abducted two NYPD officers," Kelly said.

"I can't control her. She's all grown up," she said putting her hand near Jack. Kelly decided to intervene.

"Jack, can I talk to you?" she asked giving him an excuse to get up. They started whispering as if they were talking about the case. "Thank me later." She went back over to the woman who was about the same age as Malone. "Can you tell us where she is?" She scanned the room at the pictures.

"Well, she likes to hang out with her friends. I've seen her hanging out by the docks near where a CSI was held a little while ago. I go there to watch the waves. She doesn't like me there," Mirium answered.

"Thank you for your help," Kelly told her. She left with Jack. "Think she knows something more?"

"I don't know," he said. "I just don't know."

……………………………………………………………

"Okay, Agent Malone, what's with all the questions about me? I feel like I'm being interrogated," she said on the drive to the place she knew.

"I don't know. I just want to know how you know about this place," he told her.

"I went with Flack here on a lead to find our boss, the CSI that Mirium told us about," she replied braking hard. Malone swore.

"You don't have to break that hard," he told her.

"Well, I just did. I do that sometimes," she said silently cursing Mac for making her go with him. "There." She pointed. A young woman looking like the woman in the pictures walked by them. They got out of the car quickly.

"FBI, we need to talk to you," Jack told her. She ran. Kelly groaned and ran after her. Jack was running after her too. Kelly caught up with her and half tackled-half tripped her. Whatever it was, the woman was on the ground being handcuffed by the NYPD detective.

"I wouldn't have done that," Kelly told her.

……………………………………………………………….

"Look, you are going to tell us where they are," Kelly said remembering a similar interrogation with Flack as her partner. Some tactics were used that she couldn't use this time.

"Who are they?" the girl asked innocently.

"NYPD cops. You and your friends have them," Kelly spat. Surprisingly, Jack said nothing. It was a surprised because he was an extremely confrontational man.

"I don't know who you are talking about," very much like a previous interrogation. Kelly glared. This was going nowhere good.

"Look, the guys you hang with don't care about you. They are going to let you take the fall. It's not worth it. Trust me. If you confess, you won't have to serve the time they will," Kelly told her as kindly as she could. The girl said nothing.

"Cut the crap! We know that you know where they are," Jack said fiercely. He had stood up by now. He was leaning over the table. His hands stabilized him. Kelly was surprised to say the least.

"I don't know who you are talking about," the woman replied.

"Do you know what it's like to lose a best friend?" Kelly asked slyly. The girl shook her head. "Well, I do. I've lost a lot of friends. Most we've found again. I swear if you don't tell us where he is, you will know what it's like to lose a best friend. I will make it my personal mission to hunt down the men with you and make them face justice. Whether it's my justice." Her hand covered her badge symbolically. "Or the criminal justice system. Trust me. You will want them to face the criminal justice system if you knew what I would do." She said this quietly. No one else heard her. The young woman saw the fire in her eyes.

"I do know something," she told them. "The names of the guys I was with. Johnny Cappola and Tim Kindle. I don't know where they took the cops. I don't want to go down for this."

"You're lying. You know where they are," Malone said angrily. He was getting impatient.

"I swear I don't," the woman said threatened by the interrogators. They looked at her not believing. Kelly took out a notepad and pen.

"Write it down," she ordered. The girl wrote six letters down.

"Read it," the girl ordered Kelly. She rolled her eyes.

"Bite me!" Kelly was fired up. "Look you are going to tell us where they are or the cameras are going to be turned off." She wasn't to be taken lightly.

……………………………………………………….

"Okay, so we do all the work, and you get to go in yelling 'NYPD'?" Kelly asked.

"Well, Agent Malone is coming with me so it will be 'FBI' not 'NYPD,'" Kelly could see the smugness not hidden very well. She rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Kelly." Mac was gone. She really wanted to make an obscene gesture at him.

……………………………………………………….

"FBI! Open up!" no answer. Mac kicked the door in. Normally, Flack kicked in the door but seeing as he was one of the two missing he couldn't. Mac and Jack rushed in horrified by what they saw. Flack was lying half way over Angell defending her. His last defense. He was shot in the stomach.

"Don!" Mac was at his side. Jack was checking Angell's pulse. It was there. She was knocked out. She had blood coated on her shirt. His blood. Malone pulled out a radio and called in for an ambulance. Mac was checking for a pulse. "Come on, Don. I know you're still there. Come on!" There wasn't anything. No sign of life.

………………………………………………………...

"Mac, you okay?" Stella asked at the hospital. He looked at her. His shirt slightly unbuttoned. You couldn't tell where the maroon was and where Don's blood started. "I brought you a shirt."

"Thanks," he mumbled. He looked down again. He felt like he had hit rock bottom. She put her hand on his shoulder. The heat transferred, and he felt some sort of peace start to work its way into him. He couldn't look at her again. It hurt. He came too late.

"Angell's getting patched up in the ER," Stella told him avoiding getting to the subject he fought to be on. He didn't want to be back in that warehouse. "He's in surgery. They brought him back." She knew to remove her hand. He was going somewhere. When would he realize that these things weren't his fault?

……………………………………………………………

"How is he?" Lindsay asked getting to the hospital. Danny looked up at her. His eyes were gaunt. They were just there. Nothing to them. Nondescript. His best friend was in surgery. She looked over at the rest of the team. Kelly had her head buried in her hands. Hawkes had his arm around her. Mac wasn't even there. She knew he would have taken it hard. The FBI agent was leaving. Stella was sitting down alone. She looked both concerned for Flack and concerned for Mac. Their looks said it all. She saw Angell come from the elevator she had just come from. She had heard the news. Jessica soon found her place among the others. Her eyes were red and harsh showing just what they had been through.

………………………………………………………….

"He's awake. He said that he wants to see someone called Angell then the two idiots who were doing surveillance," the nurse came into the waiting area. Angell got up. She looked at the others for guidance. They didn't know what to tell her so she went into the room.

"Hey"

"So how are you?" he asked. She smiled.

"I've been better. I know that you took my bullet," she told him. He gave her an award winning smile. The kind he was famous for. She smiled back. The moment was theirs.

…………………………………………………………….

"Two idiots," Angell smiled coming back to the waiting room a few hours after she left. No one was keeping time anymore. The sun was setting. That's all they knew. Some of them had been up for days while they tried to find them. Of course it had only been around a day and a half since they went missing, but Mac and Kelly had been up since they first started surveillance. Plus Flack had been asleep for a day after the surgery recovering. They, Mac and Kelly, looked at each other and smiled knowing that they should have never worked that case together. Things just always seemed to go wrong. They got up and went to the room.

"I can't believe you worked this case together. This is your fault," he was smiling though.

"Yeah, we figured. How are you?" Kelly asked.

"Fantastic," he answered sarcastically.

"Okay, that's a little rude. We haven't slept in about five days. I mean like one hour naps maybe," Kelly laid on the guilt. Flack smiled.

"Yet you two can always find time to flirt," he was never going to let them live it down.

"Yes, we flirt," Mac answered. That even took Kelly by surprise. "It's not like we mean anything by it." Kelly smiled. _What now Flack?_

"I just didn't think you would admit that," Flack laughed.

"Don't laugh. You'll rip out your stitches. You should get some sleep too," Kelly told him. They left him to sleep because he really was tired.

"Flirting?" Kelly was still surprised. Mac smiled.

"It doesn't really mean anything unless it does in which case I have to tell you that I love Stella," he told her.

"You're dreaming again," she answered laughing. He joined in her laughing. They walked back into the waiting room. "He's asleep." The rest would wait to see him. He would have to have a statement taken about what actually did happen there. Angell had already given hers.

"I think I'm going to call it a night," Mac said. He could barely keep his eyes open.

"Yes, that's the name for this time," Kelly answered sarcastically. She too needed some sleep. "I think I'm also going to get some sleep. I haven't slept in like five days."

………………………………………………………..

"We were in bed. We woke up to a noise. I got up then it went black. I guess chloroform," Flack told the officer. "I remember being in a car for a long time. Must've been the trunk. Then boom, we were in that warehouse. I remember getting punched in the stomach several times. I told them I'd kill them if they touched her. I just got punch after punch. Then I remember them saying something about killing us. Angell was out cold. I put myself over her and got shot." It was the abridged version. He was making it short and concise. Sighing, Flack gave the descriptions to a sketch artist.

……………………………………………………..

The wind felt good against her. She lowered herself more onto the bike. Sure she was a good friend, but she was just excited to be able to ride his motorcycle and that the streets were somewhat empty. She might have taken all the back roads to the hospital. Going fast was fun just not exceeding the speed limit. Maybe a little. She skidded the bike to a stop in front of the entrance. He was there waiting with Angell. She had taken a cab over there anyway.

"No," Angell said when she saw the bike. Flack smiled.

"Yes," he told her.

"It shakes at 150," Kelly joked as she took off the helmet. "Here you go." He took it and gave it to Angell.

"It was at least 170 when it started shaking with me," he laughed.

"Just be thankful I brought it to you. I have to take a cab home now. Seriously it's like forty-two blocks," she told him.

"Whatever," he told her. Kelly walked off rolling her eyes. She called a cab.

"Come on, this isn't good to do after being shot in the stomach," Angell pleaded. He laughed and got onto the bike.

"Can you hand me the other helmet?" it was hanging on the side. She did, and he put it on opening the visor. She was a little upset at him, but she saddled the bike and slammed down her visor.

"Hold on tight," he told her so she could hear. He slammed his visor down as she gripped him tightly around his waist. He sped off through the streets becoming a nondescript blur from above.

_Shining like a work of art  
__Hanging on a wall of stars  
__Are you what I think you are?_

_You're my satellite  
__You're riding with me tonight  
__Passenger side, lighting the sky  
__Always the first star that I find  
__You're my satellite_

_Elevator to the moon  
__Whistling a favorite tune  
__Trying to get a closer view  
__  
You're my satellite  
__You're riding with me tonight  
__Passenger side, lighting the sky  
__Always the first star that I find  
__You're my satellite_

_Maybe you will always be  
__Just a little out of reach_

_You're my satellite  
__You're riding with me tonight  
__Passenger side, lighting the sky  
__Always the first start that I find  
__You're my satellite_

**After Notes: I hope you liked that one. It's a longer one after a shorter one. It's actually my longest one yet. It's more than three thousand words. The song is **_**Satellite**_** by **_**Guster**_**. I watched **_**Martian Child**_** and fell in love with the song. I hope that was funny. I actually do know someone named Mirium and she loves Jack Malone. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: lily moonlight, Bonasera, Blue Shadowdancer, GregRox, and luf100! My email is sort of working again. I actually have gotten some emails from FFN. Mind you they were review alerts from Friday. Hope you had a great day! :D**


	49. The One Where The Date Goes Wrong

**Disclaimer: I swear I don't own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Well, I can't go too long without a proposal, or can I? Hmmm. Well, as much as I hated Mac/Peyton, I'm 'stealing' the idea for Mac/Stella. I like to call it 'borrowing without permission.' You'll see. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Where The Date Goes Wrong**

"_This isn't how I planned this," he told her. She smiled._

"_It's the company that makes the difference"_

……………………………………………….

"I have dinner plans after shift if you want. I mean you don't have to," even though they had been together for around two years, he still had trouble asking her to dinner with confidence. He had trailed off not knowing what she would say. Maybe he was more nervous because of what he was going to ask her.

"Mac, of course I will go to dinner," Stella told him. She smiled making him smile. He closed his locker after taking a last look at the little black box that had been burning a hole in his pocket. He walked out of the locker room leaving her in there.

"Hat off in the lab, Kelly," he flicked the hat off her head in an almost kind way. She scowled as she picked it up off the ground waiting until he got around a corner to put it back on. He turned around suddenly. "I saw that. Take off the hat." She did and walked into the break room muttering curses in Italian. "I heard that." She smiled.

"Oh, whatever, Mac," she answered wondering why he was in such a great mood. She turned around to find Hawkes and Lindsay talking quietly. Danny was asleep at the table. He was leaning back in his chair with his feet on the table. "Should we wake him up?" They nodded.

"We can't figure out what the best way to wake him up is," Lindsay explained. Kelly nodded.

"Water in his hair should get him up," Kelly answered. She took a paper cup and went to the sink to fill it.

"You know this how?" Lindsay asked.

"He's had to crash at my place, well, our place a few times. Had to get him up for work. I experimented," she laughed. She poured the water on Danny's head. He jumped up making the chair crash.

"Whoa," Kelly acted in mock fear. They laughed. "Mac's looking for you." She stifled a laugh as she lied. She just wanted him to get all freaked out. Hawkes and Lindsay knew she was joking but played along anyway.

"Um, okay, do you think he will know that I was asleep?" he asked.

"No not at all," Lindsay lied. Danny left for Mac's office. The three others laughed. They only wished they would be there.

………………………………………………………

"Kelly told me that you were looking for me," Danny told Mac. He chuckled.

"You believed her. She was looking for a joke, Danny. I could care less where you were except that you were sleeping on shift," Mac told him putting filing some reports. Danny looked very foolish. "Why is your head wet?"

"She woke me up using water," he answered walking off back into the break room to find them laughing. "Kelly, why'd you do that?"

"It was funny," she answered between laughs. Danny glared.

"We're married. We shouldn't lie to each other," he said to Lindsay.

"Yes, but it was funny. Kind of like calling Mac 'sir' was funny," she replied. Laughter filled the room. Danny rolled his eyes.

………………………………………………………….

"How much more time till shift is over?" Danny asked for the fifth time even though he had a watch. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Five hours. Then we get to go to the Yankees game with Flack. Do you know how long it took to save up for these tickets?" she asked.

"How long?"

"Seven months so don't worry we will get to go to the game," she told him. He shrugged not really registering what she said. All he could think of was the seats right behind the first base dugout.

……………………………………………………………..

"Three hours," Kelly mumbled. Mac looked over at her confused. "Until I sit behind the first base dugout at the Yankee/Rangers game."

"Which is why you are wearing that hat. Take it off," Mac told her. She removed the hat scowling and muttering things under her breath. He rolled his eyes.

"You have plans tonight?" she asked putting the contents of the test tube in a machine.

"I should," he said unable to hide the gleam from his eyes. Kelly grinned hugely because she had finally figured it out. He looked questioningly at her. "I haven't seen you smile like that since, well, I've never seen you smile like that. It's kind of creeping me out."

"You're going to propose to Stella," she said smiling. "I knew it! I win the bet!" Mac put his hand over her mouth.

"Do you want the entire world to know?" he whispered. He removed his hand. She smiled though. He rolled his eyes. "Just wear your baseball hat." She put it on still smiling. "Stop with the smiling. It's scaring me." She rolled her eyes. The machine beeped. Kelly took the newly printed results.

"Cyanide. I knew it," she said. She took off her latex gloves.

"You abandoning me?" Mac asked in mock hurt. Kelly laughed.

"Yeah, have to go to interrogation. This guy has to know something. Seriously, who has cyanide on them and doesn't know anything? Good luck," she told him putting her lab coat up. Mac watched her leave shaking his head. Sometimes, she could just be so intolerable. Then sometimes she was just herself. He smiled. He just hoped she could keep her mouth shut. He got back to work. He hoped they could wrap this up before his date. It was such a big case. Of course to him, every case was important.

……………………………………………………..

"Alright, I can't believe that we are this close to the Yankees," Danny said.

"Yeah, I almost got the tickets to be next to the Rangers. I do love Ian Kinsler and Michael Young," she said propping her feet on the dugout. Danny and Flack did the same. Several innings passed. Kelly got quite a few boos for cheering for the Rangers. She might have made some gestures at them. Might have.

"Okay, I bet you fifty dollars that the Rangers win," she told the guys she was with.

"You're on," they replied.

"You know at Rangers games in Arlington they have this Kiss Cam. I'm so happy they don't have it here," she said.

"Hold onto that thought," the guys told her.

"Oh yes, there we all are on the screen," Kelly said annoyance ringing in her voice.

"Kiss her!" someone in the crowd bellowed. The three cops were a little worried. It was definitely not an ordinary day. They looked at each other.

"Kiss that darn Rangers fan," someone else yelled. The three of them looked at each other. This would be awkward. A story for the record books no doubt.

………………………………………………………….

"Stella, I'm sorry. I had to call in the reservations. It's this case," he explained.

"Mac, if I didn't understand that, we would have never gotten into this relationship," she told him.

"Well, now the case is almost closed, but the restaurant is closed," he told her.

"So we'll have dinner here at the lab. There is a vending machine on the fifth floor," she told him. She convinced him to go down there. He told himself that if he didn't ask tonight he never would which was probably true. What if she said no?

"This isn't how I planned this," he told her. She smiled.

"It's the company that makes all the difference"

"Well, I guess this is our romantic dinner in the break room," he said once they put the bag of chips and two sodas on the table. They opened them and listened to the fizz. It was the only sound in the lab.

"It's romantic," she laughed. Mac took her hand. With his other hand he fumbled for the box in his pocket.

"Well, I never thought I'd ask you in the lab. I mean I know that my life is pretty much here, but I'd thought it would have been more romantic when I decided to ask this. Not that I've been great with romance," Mac was rambling a sweat crept onto his brow line. Stella smiled as she could tell he was nervous.

"Mac, slow down. What is it?" She knew he was going to ask something important. The last time he was this nervous was when he asked her for dinner that first time.

"_You okay? You've been acting strange all day," she said putting her hand on his arm in a caring friend's way. Not that she wasn't attracted to him. She just wasn't ready to say that out loud. He was rubbing the back of his neck. He had a tiny sweat at his brow. She smiled. _

"_I was just wondering if you wanted to go to dinner with me?" he muttered. _

"_You're pretty nervous for a just friends dinner," she told him knowing but not saying that she knew what he meant._

"_Well maybe it's not a just friends dinner?" he questioned himself but still gaining confidence. She smiled._

"_Yes, I will go on a date with you," she said making him blush._

"Well, for one I can't do this sitting down," he got up from the chair letting go of her hand and getting down one knee even if it was clichéd, and he opened the box that had been burning a hole in his pocket. "Stella Bonasera, I knew when we started this that I would ask this. Will you marry me?" She smiled. A promise of a yes lay written in her eyes.

"Yes, Mac Taylor, I will marry you," she told him tears forming in her eyes. It didn't matter that he was the boss, and that they were in the lab. They sealed the promise with a kiss.

**Notes: Not short, but not long. Let's see. I've left Mac and Stella as now fiancés. I've left Danny, Kelly, and Flack in an awkward situation. I do intend to come back to them. Oh it should be funny. I hope it is. I was going to put it in here, but I'm leaving it for the next one shot. Some sort of mystery. I do hope this was a bit funny even if it was only a bit. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, CSIMiami17, Bonasera, and GregRox! Maybe Rox was right about the fact that they might not have been taken if Mac and Kelly weren't flirting. Now, I believe that that is an unfair accusation because thinking about it. They weren't talking when Flack and Angell were taken. Hope you had a great day! :D**


	50. The One With The Drinking Contest

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Well, I left Kelly, Danny, and Flack in an awkward kissing situation. Yes, that has sort of happened to people I know. It happens a lot at the Texas Ranger games. I forgot to say that it was the Texas Rangers vs. the New York Yankees. The irony is that they were actually playing last night. The Rangers won. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Drinking Contest**

"What are you doing, Kelly?" Mac asked coming into work that morning.

"Watching the sports recaps. Did she say yes?" Kelly asked. He nodded failing at hiding a smile.

"Why are you watching the sports recaps?"

"Because I want to watch the top ten plays," she said. He sighed, but he ended up joining her. After a series of amazing catches and superb goals, the number three slot came on. People looking exactly like Kelly, Danny, and Flack came on. "Oh no! They didn't put this in there. They couldn't have."

"And this is what I like to call a duck and cover move from the woman in the middle. This was the Kiss Cam from the Yankee/Rangers game. Now watch as the three of them look at each other. Do you see the disgust on the face of the woman?" the anchor asked the other anchor on _Sports Center_. The other guy agreed.

"Now, I think she was going to let them both kiss her on the cheek, but then they all close their eyes. Probably all friends there. Doubt they really want to do this. That crowd is definitely cheering," the other anchor did a play by play for this.

"This is where she fakes the guys out and ducks down. Then this is the best part. Maybe the guys thought she leaned in the other direction so they keep going. This is one of the greatest jukes ever. Then the guys kiss. That made my day," the anchor wrapped it up.

"Oh my gosh," that was the only thing Mac could say as he watched Danny and Flack kiss.

"I know," Kelly answered. She turned off the TV after the last plays which included a football player proposing after he won the game.

"If I wasn't engaged, that would have made my day," he told her.

"So?" she said as an awkward silence engulfed them. They looked at each other then at the now blank TV screen.

"Yeah," Mac replied blandly.

"Um, this is awkward," she stated to no one in particular.

"Yeah, it is," he answered not really talking to her.

"I guess a 'congratulations' is in order," Kelly told him. He nodded. "At least this conversation isn't strange. I remember being asked how my first time was." The conversation, of course, would become awkward.

"Like as in?" he asked not willing to finish the sentence.

"I think they meant autopsy. Well, that's what I told them. I didn't even throw up. I'd seen more blood," she said referencing what happened to her family. "What about you?"

"What about me?" he didn't see Danny and Lindsay get off of the elevator and walk to the break time.

"What about your first time? How was that?" she asked.

"Did you just ask him that?" Danny asked.

"What? It's not what you think," she answered shocked.

"Sure it isn't," he told her scathingly.

"I meant his first time at an autopsy!" she told them. Danny rolled his eyes. "How was that kiss last night?" Lindsay was confused. "You didn't tell her?"

"I accidently kissed Flack," he mumbled so quietly he sounded slurred.

"Why did you wait till we were married to come out of the closet?" she asked laughing. He was so embarrassed.

"I was trying to kiss Kelly's cheek, and she moved," Danny defended himself. "Don't change the subject."

"Right, now that we are on the game. Fifty dollars please," Kelly said hand extended. Danny grunted something and reached in his wallet for the money.

"What's with the kissing?" Lindsay asked. She looked at Mac who was enjoying this moment.

"Don't look at me. I already watched the play by play," he said laughing.

"What?"

"ESPN," Mac answered.

"Wait, it made ESPN?" Danny asked flushed.

"Yeah, it did. It was a great juke by me," Kelly answered. Danny scowled. "Top ten plays." He rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe you asked Mac what his first time was like," Danny said not believing her.

"No, she honestly meant autopsy," Mac vouched for her. Danny dropped it.

"So?" another awkward silence enveloped the group. Kelly thought about asking Mac about what happened, but she didn't want to spoil the fun of him being able to tell them.

"Well, I think that there should be something to do. I'll go down to autopsy. Always a body down there," she told them.

"You're not going down there to play a certain game would you?" Mac asked.

"Heavens no! After the last time, no," she answered. "Congratulations again." She left the room. Danny and Lindsay were about to ask Mac what she meant, but when they turned around, he had already walked away.

"Think she has blackmail on him?" Danny asked.

"No, it's something big though. How does she keep figuring this stuff out? I mean the last time it was that Mac and Stella were together and…" she stopped midsentence. Danny was confused. "Congratulations! Of course! I think Mac proposed! And she said yes!" Danny nodded trying to figure out how she got to that conclusion so quickly.

"Okay, so that means that they are getting married," Danny said going through his thought process.

"Yes"

……………………………………………………….

"I think we should tell the CSI's and Flack and Angell," Stella said. Mac agreed.

"Kelly already knows. She figured it out," Mac replied.

"Okay, how about Danny and Lindsay?" she asked.

"I don't know. I guess they don't know. Maybe just mention it while working a case. I wouldn't be surprised if Lindsay figured it out. I would be surprised if Danny did. She probably would have told him," Mac told her.

"Told who what?" Flack came in looking for a lead on a nonexistent case.

"Can't you hang out in your own break room?" Mac asked.

"No, told who what?" he inquired the second time.

"We just thought that we would mention to the team that we are getting married," Stella said slyly. Flack at first didn't say anything. He was a little shocked.

"As in you two? And, oh my gosh! Wow! Congratulations!" Flack's excitement was plastic since it took so long to process what he had just learned.

"You know for a detective, you're slow," Mac told him. Flack rolled his eyes. "That was a nice kiss by the way." Flack turned red.

"What kiss?" Stella asked. Mac let Flack answer that.

"I accidently kissed Danny at the game. I'm going to kill Kelly," he muttered. Stella laughed.

"It made ESPN, too. Can't forget that," Mac said the joke for once not on him.

"It did?!" Flack's eyes were wide. He had reached a whole other level of embarrassment far above any he had reached before. Stella and Mac laughed.

……………………………………………………….

"Congratulations," Lindsay told them. So she did know. Danny made an acknowledgement of it. He wasn't the kind to just go out and say that.

"Flack knows?" was all he could say. Mac laughed remembering the last time he asked that. He nodded. "And Jessica?" Stella nodded. They had just told her. Everyone took it well. Kelly had told Hawkes who congratulated them. They all agreed to go out for drinks with the exception of Flack, Kelly, and Danny.

………………………………………………………..

"We made it through the day," Kelly, Flack, and Danny were out at a bar. They didn't want to be the butt of everyone's jokes at Sullivan's. They were drinking. Well, Kelly wasn't, but that wasn't for a lack of trying by the guys. They really were starting to convince her.

"No, don't let me drink. When I drink, I drink, and I drink," she told them. They still persisted and finally won her over with a shot drinking contest even though she knew full well she had work the next day. "I know I will beat you guys." They scoffed and the contest begun. Kelly and Flack were downing shot after shot. Danny started to get a little worried around one o'clock in the morning. They looked pretty wasted. He wasn't doing too hot himself. He was feeling a little woozy. Why did he let Kelly drink? She was always the sober one and the designated driver. At least they walked over. He would get a cab and take them to their places. They would probably all wake up with hangovers. They all had a shift the next day. They didn't think they could get out of it. Danny put a stop at the contest. He had no idea how many shots they downed. He paid getting a receipt for them to pay him back. Danny called a cab and rode with them to their places. He called Hawkes and Angell to warn them that they were wasted.

……………………………………………………….

"Thanks," Hawkes said as he helped Kelly onto a couch. She crashed. He put a blanket over her wishing she could have been responsible that night. He would try to get her out of work the next day, but he doubted that her being wasted would sympathize well with Mac. He could just hope she bounced back well. He had never seen Kelly wasted before. She normally didn't drink. At least she didn't do anything too stupid.

……………………………………………………..

"Next time, keep him," Angell joked with Danny as they helped Flack onto the couch. "He isn't getting out of shift tomorrow. He's already called in sick twice this month. I doubt he will get another sick day." They sighed.

"At least you don't have Mac. Kelly's worse. Not by much. Both are pretty wasted. Mac's going to kill her tomorrow," Danny smiled.

"Thank you," Angell said. They bade goodnight to each other. Angell closed the door.

………………………………………………………….

"Welcome home. Why were you out so late?" Lindsay asked. Danny yawned.

"Kelly and Flack are wasted. I had to make sure they got home safely. Mac's going to kill them probably," he said crashing on their bed. She smiled.

…………………………………………………………….

_He was sittin' at the bar  
__Sippin' on a regular Coke  
__We were drinkin' and smokin'  
__And makin' him the butt of our jokes_

_We all said, "Man, what happened to you?  
__Why can't you just have a few?"  
__He said, "I would if I could  
__But it's probably best if I don't._

'_Cause the more I drink, the more I drink  
__Then I'm the world's greatest lover and a dancin' machine  
__I get loud, I get proud, and it gets worse_

_Well, if I have one I'll have thirteen  
__Now, there ain't no in between  
_'_Cause the more I drink, the more I drink_

_A couple of cold ones  
__And somebody hands me a shot  
__Hell, even buck-toothed and bow-legged woman  
__Start lookin' hot_

_And pretty soon I'm bummin' cigarettes  
__And sweet talkin' some big brunette  
__Yeah, once I get on a roll  
__Ain't no tellin' where I'll stop_

'_Cause the more I drink, the more I drink  
__Then I'm the world's greatest lover and a dancin' machine  
__I get loud, I get proud, and it gets worse_

_Well, if I have one I'll have thirteen  
__Now, there ain't no in between  
_'_Cause the more I drink, the more I drink, the more I drink, yep, yep_

_Hmmm, that's what I'm talking about_

_Man, if I have one I'll have thirteen  
__And they can't get me off the karaoke machine  
__The more I drink, the more I drink  
__Yeah, the more I drink, the more I drink, the more I drink_

**After Notes: I know that was a little surprising. I blame the chat and lily moonlight for having 3 AM in Thorns. Well, I can't blame her, but it makes me feel better. The song at the end also inspired me, **_**The More I Drink**_** by **_**Blake Shelton**_**. We were having a drunken story time. I get inspired by those a lot of times. Just thought I'd write this one. Next one The One With The Hangover or something of that sort. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: lily moonlight, GregRox, and CSIMiami17! They rock! Hope you had a great day! :D**


	51. The One With The Hangovers

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: So I left Flack, Kelly, and Danny drunk. Well, Danny was only semi-drunk. Our favorite detectives aren't going to miss work. No, they are going hung over to work. Yes, they are actually going to try that. By the way I really don't have a specific year this is in. It could be the future which is probably when it is. I don't know. It's just there. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Hangovers**

Blinding light. Deafening noise. She woke up feeling sick to her stomach and pounding in her head. She clutched her ears and rocked back and forth. She did not make a good choice drinking that much. She tried to get up, but the headache forced her back on the couch. How was she supposed to go into work that day?

"Hey," the sound was like roaring waters. It did nothing for her headache. It was spoken below a whisper.

"Why are you talking so loudly?" she spoke at the same level of volume. He leaned in close to hear her.

"I got you some clothes. You have to hurry up and get dressed, or we'll be late to the work," he handed her the clothes which included a hat and a pair of sunglasses. Something to help her see better until her hangover dissipated. He didn't know what she could do about the hearing. He just hoped they could pull this off as a migraine. "Oh, after you brush your teeth well, chew some gum. I can smell the alcohol at your breath even if it's out of you."

…………………………………………………………

"Kelly, what did I tell you about wearing hats in the lab?" Mac didn't fail to see her wince as he said each word. She turned around with the glasses on.

"Migraine," she said hoping the smell of alcohol was gone.

"Yeah, right. Take them off," he replied. He also didn't fail to see her pop another piece of gum into her mouth. _What the heck?_

"See now that takes us into strip forensics, and I don't think I can do that even if you are my boss and incredibly sexy," she said louder than she had talked all day so at about a whisper. Mac rolled his eyes. She handed him the hat and sunglasses. She was squinting. Mac saw the dark circles under her eyes. _What in the world? _He gave her back the hat and sunglasses. He had a hunch that he was willing to test.

"Kelly, can you test the gun from the crime scene this morning?" he asked.

"I got a killer headache"

"From drinking?" he knew he was right. She rolled her eyes not that he could see though since she was wearing sunglasses.

"I'm on it, Mac. I don't drink remember," she went to evidence and got the gun to go to ballistics. He watched her go wondering why she just didn't admit it. The gum may have masked her breath, but she had just about every other symptom of a hangover. He saw her make a quick detour to the restroom. Probably, had to throw up. She came out popping in a few more pieces of gum into her mouth. Those probably replaced her others. He shook his head. What the heck did she get herself into?

"Flack," he called to him when he came in for a lead on an actual case that time. Mac noticed him wince too. The two of them could get into more trouble than the rest of the team combined. He wondered how Danny was faring.

"Yeah, Mac," he was talking quietly too.

"I want you to check in on Kelly in ballistics," he said talking normally. He was teaching them a lesson. Flack winced but agreed. He was playing the migraine card. He walked into ballistics. Kelly was test firing the gun. She winced every single time she pulled the trigger. Even with ear plugs in, she could hear it just as loud as it would have been if she heard it and didn't have a hangover. Flack waited until she had emptied the magazine and had removed her ear plugs.

"I think Mac knows," they both murmured at the same time. They heard it as if they were talking in a conversation. They heard what sounded like a door slam. It was just closing normally in the next lab. Kelly collected the bullets and compared them to the through and through collected from the scene. They matched almost perfectly except for the last tenth of it. Kelly sighed as this wasn't the murder weapon. She paged Mac to make sure that she was actually seeing correctly. He came to the same conclusion though he talked normally to them knowing that sooner or later they had to admit that they were hung over.

"Can you two go to autopsy? I know you don't normally go down there, but I'm going to run this through IBIS, and Kelly doesn't like to go there alone," they didn't have much of a choice. They silently cursed Mac but found their way to the crypt. It had been two hours into shift, and they were still in the worst bit of the hangover. The morgue was light brightly that even with sunglasses Kelly was squinting. Flack also had sunglasses on. They had made a huge mistake the night before. They came into the morgue with blinding headaches.

"We could just tell," Kelly whispered realizing that this was a lesson that Mac was trying to teach them.

"No, we can't," Flack whispered back. They suddenly heard the sound of the bone saw. It almost brought them both to their knees. They covered their ears in an attempt to drown out the noise. It kept flowing. Suddenly it stopped. Sid stood there looking questioningly at them.

"You guys okay," he said loudly. Kelly and Flack just looked at each other. Their ears were ringing. They nodded. He began the most gruesome part of the autopsy that is cutting open the rib cage.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Flack walked off quickly. Kelly went after him. This was not going well with their stomachs. Normally it wouldn't have made them throw up, but the effects of the alcohol were still lingering in them.

"Gum?" Kelly offered to mask the taste and smell. Flack snatched the piece of gum. They left the morgue leaving Sid to his work. Their ears were still ringing.

…………………………………………………..

"Okay, I'm saying it's one of three things. Pregnant i.e. morning sickness, hangover even if she doesn't drink, or a migraine. All of those fit"

"Okay, but if she's pregnant then why does Flack have the same symptoms. It's a hangover. Just don't tell Mac," Lindsay told Stella. She nodded.

"I won't. I thought Kelly didn't drink. What did she have a sip or something?" Stella laughed.

"Eight and a half shots of tequila," Lindsay answered. Stella's mouth was wide open.

"How can she even walk today?"

"I don't know. I guess she used to drink. Mac's going to kill them," she told her laughing. Stella joined in.

"I didn't think that much was possible. I've seen Flack and Messer go six at the most," Stella told her.

"No, I've seen them go more. It's rather funny. It's when they start flirting with each other," Lindsay laughed.

"Lindsay, how much did they drink last night?" Mac asked coming in.

"Who drink what?"

"Kelly and Flack. I know they both have a hangover," Mac told her.

"Kelly had at least eight shots. I can't remember if she finished the ninth shot," Lindsay decided the truth was best.

"And Flack?"

"He was on his eighth," Lindsay didn't like ratting them out, but she didn't want to be interrogated either.

"What were they drinking?"

"Tequila," Lindsay sighed. Mac clenched the case file. He wasn't doing a great job of containing his anger at them. Mac knew they had a hangover but didn't know how bad it was. He left the break room in search for the two idiots.

…………………………………………………………

"Think if we just lay here it will go away?" Kelly whispered. Flack heard her loud and clear though.

"Maybe," he replied in a lower volume. They were on the floor of the shared offices in the lab with their eyes closed wishing the sickness in their stomachs would pass. They heard a loud crash. It was just a door closing though. Kelly half opened one of her eyes. Mac was standing over the two of them with his arms crossed over his chest. He was not in a good mood.

"Hello," Kelly mumbled. Mac glared at the two of them.

"Who is it?" Flack didn't open his eyes.

"Guess," Mac spat. Flack didn't want to open his eyes now.

"I'm going Matt Damon," Flack answered in a whisper.

"You two get up! Now!" He raised his voice and prodded them with his foot.

"Ouch! That was worse than this morning," Kelly thought out loud in a quiet whisper. They eventually did get up.

"You two did the most foolish, idiotic, irresponsible thing to do!" he yelled. Kelly and Flack's ears started ringing again. They winced when Mac spoke to them.

"Isn't it enough that we have a hangover?" Kelly whispered. Mac was outraged.

"You know what! I've been mad at you a lot of times, but this is the first time I've truly been disappointed in you, Kelly!" he still had his voice raised. Kelly looked down. Even though her ears hurt like hell itself, he made her feel guilty. "And Flack! You let her drink! You let her have eight shots!"

"Actually it was nine," Kelly mumbled. Mac glared.

"Whatever! You two made a stupid decision! Why?"

"I don't know. Isn't Danny hung over too?" Kelly wondered. Mac gave her a look to shut up.

"I have half a mind to suspend you Kelly. And Flack, well I can't suspend you, but I can report this," Mac threatened. "But the other half of my mind feels bad for you two." He sighed. He knew they felt terrible, but he wanted them to learn their lesson. They looked down. One reason because they felt bad and the other reason because they couldn't look at lights. Mac had a stern look on his face. Kelly and Flack felt like the noose was already on their necks. All Mac had to do was take away the floor. It was like looking death in the eyes. It was breathing down their necks.

"At least we didn't like wake up in someone's bed. Flack, is that a first?" Kelly was still speaking quietly. Flack scowled. Mac lost his stern look and chuckled. Kelly smiled looking up.

"Now, get back to work," Mac told them. They groaned but knew that in a few hours or by the next day they would be back to normal. "I heard that." They rolled their eyes. "And I saw that, you two."

………………………………………………………

"So back to normal?" Lindsay asked Kelly and Flack. They shook their heads. Their ears were still hurting. They still had their sunglasses on.

"A thirty three year old body doesn't bounce back as quickly as a twenty two year old body," Kelly whispered. Flack agreed.

"Last time you drank that much?" Lindsay wondered quietly. Kelly nodded. Flack smiled at the last time he drank that much. It was the Christmas party held at a hotel for NYPD. Well, it was a Detectives and CSI's party. He made a complete fool out of himself. Kelly had never seen him dance like that, or anyone else dance like that for that matter. She laughed inside her head which made the pounding feeling start again. She winced. She knew she deserved this, but it was getting old.

"Hey," someone said from behind them. Kelly spun quickly to find Hawkes in the room. Then it started spinning. She stumbled backwards tripping. She found herself on the ground with the others over her. _Great, this isn't embarrassing. _She took Hawkes' hand and slowly got up.

"This is why I don't drink," Kelly whispered. Everyone was talking quieter around her and Flack.

"How does that explain last night? And I thought you were sober today," Mac said quietly coming in. Kelly rolled her eyes. Adam came in with the trace results.

"I got them!" he rang out. Kelly and Flack winced as they looked at him. Lindsay and Hawkes gave him a look.

"Shhh! They have hangovers," Lindsay whispered laughing. Kelly and Flack were too annoyed with Adam to care about what she said.

"Kelly got wasted?" Adam thought that was hilarious. Kelly didn't. She really wanted to clock him, but that might have just been the hangover talking plus she didn't want to fall again. Hawkes held her back just in case.

"Come on, you'll be fine tomorrow," he mumbled. _If we can make it till then. _He was thankful Kelly couldn't read his thoughts. Mac probably could. It was a scary thought. _What if he's reading my thoughts right now?_ Hawkes felt a shiver go through him. _Creepy._

"Well, you need to get back to work," Mac was talking to everyone. They mumbled some things that Mac couldn't hear. Kelly and Flack could though. They smiled. Kelly went to reconstruction. It was the quietest place. She was doing lab work that day since going out into the field was forbidden. She used logic to find the most like knife to stab the victim. The poor guy had been stabbed then shot. The blade was two inches long and was single edged. Kelly selected a knife that flips open. She drove the blade into the pig letting go as she saw the room spin again. _Well, this sucks_. She slipped while reaching to balance herself on the table and fell _again _almost knocking over the table with the knifes neatly laid out. _Come on! What the heck is this about? Seriously, I do not have this bad of balance_. She just kind of sat there waiting for the room to stop spinning and for her to stop feeling so dizzy. She looked up and realized that her sunglasses had fallen off. _Of course! Why not?!_ She picked them up placing them upon the bridge of her nose instantly feeling a little better. She got herself off the ground silently cursing Danny and Flack for convincing her to drink. This probably ranked in the top four of her worst work days. Getting knocked out, being in a bomb blast, and getting taken hostage all trumped this one.

"You okay?" Danny asked her.

"I'm fine," Kelly answered brushing herself off even though nothing was on her. "This is your fault. I told you don't let me drink."

"Yeah, but you did drink," Danny told her. "But don't try to kill me now. You'll fall again." He said. She pulled the knife from the pig and put it on the table. She glared at him, but they had work to do. She held the picture of the stab wound on the victim next to the stab wound of the pig. "That's a match." Danny looked at it for her since the room was still spinning to her. "Come on let's tell Mac what the weapon is before you kill yourself."

"Fine," she answered softly. They left reconstruction and searched for their boss. He was in his office talking to Sinclair. "How about we go to the break room and avoid getting Mac in trouble for letting me work?" Danny agreed.

……………………………………………………

"Kelly, Danny," Mac said not looking up from the paperwork he was finishing.

"We found the knife that stabbed the vic. Well not the actual knife, but you get the point," Kelly told him. He nodded.

"Okay, run with it"

"Both of us?"

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

"Well, I don't think Kelly should work a case until she's normal again not that she ever is," Danny told Mac.

"You don't think that she should learn her lesson?" Mac asked finally looking up.

"Okay, 'she' isn't here," Kelly spoke up.

"I just think that something could happen with the evidence," Danny said.

"No, I think she's fine. I think she needs to have consequences for her actions," Mac said quietly ignoring Kelly who was glaring at him but respecting the fact that she was hung over. She was really not enjoying this. She knew it was her fault. She normally made better choices than this. It was partly the guys fault. But mainly hers. She understood that. She wasn't very keen on having a hangover. She was ready for it to be over. She knew that even the next day she would have something leftover from this hangover. She'd had quite a few in her life particularly after her family died. She tried to drink away the hurt. Her college buddies stopped her from drinking after a while, and the habit stuck. She wondered if Mac could sense that. He could always sense everything. Sometimes it was a little scary. But sometimes it was nice knowing you didn't have to say anything for him to get the idea.

"Fine, I'll work the case. It's my fault for getting wasted. I also need to pay you back Danny. I had nine shots so that's…" Kelly trailed off. The shots were five dollars each so her total was forty-five dollars plus tax. She gave him fifty dollars. Danny took it gratefully.

"I can't believe you can walk after nine shots," Mac mumbled.

"I used to take shots in college," she whispered. The guys rolled their eyes. Of course she did. "Bet you think that's weird. Oh well, I stopped for a reason. As I told the guys before they persuaded me to drink." She glanced at Danny. He looked at Mac who in turn looked at Kelly. The three of them hit a road bump. Both Kelly and Danny thought it was bad for her to work the case. Mac, who probably knew best, knew that if Kelly worked a case she would be extra careful and diligent and would learn her lesson and not drink that much on a night where she had work the next day.

"What about if the DA finds out that she's hung over?" and with that Danny won Mac over. "We can't risk any overturned convictions."

"I'll be ready to work a case tomorrow," Kelly assured Mac. "I'll catch up on that one." She left the room quickly after that her stomach not completely recovered from falling. After returning from the restroom, she saw Flack leave the Men's room. She laughed as both their stomachs hadn't recovered yet from their contest.

**After Notes: I hope you liked that. I hope it was funny. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: lily moonlight, EverythingIsConnected, Sarryb, Blue Shadowdancer, and CSIMiami17! They are amazing! They are definitely awesome! Hope you have a great day! :D**


	52. The One Where Things Go Wrong

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. Pity. Oh well, I'm over it, and you guys are over it. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Mr. Mac Taylor (doesn't that sound odd?) and Ms. Stella Bonasera request the honor of your presence at their wedding. Okay, I'll cut that crap out. Never thought I would actually get to this one. Just kidding! But this was never meant to be what I write all the time, and unless y'all let me put this on hiatus, I will never be able to write what I have planned. Don't judge it be the title. It will be a song title. I have to think about wrapping this up sometime. I mean once I marry them off I can't have them do all the fun stuff anymore. Accusations become more serious. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Where Things Go Wrong**

"So big night tonight, eh? Why are you working?" Kelly asked Mac. He glared at her. She smiled. "Oh, come on, Mac. I've never seen you this happy." He blushed. "It's true. I really have never seen you this joyful." She chuckled. Mac shook his head.

"It's snowing pretty hard," Mac sighed. She looked out. Sure enough, snow was coming down. She couldn't see the building across the street.

"Well, maybe it will let up," she said knowing full well that this wasn't even the worst of it. "I think it's amazing."

"Yes, that's what I would say," Mac answered sarcastically. "I bet it's because we're working on this case together." Kelly chuckled but had the same thought on mind.

"Well, I for one am happy for you. Yes, I do have a caring side," she told him when he gave her a questioning look. "It doesn't get shown very often."

"You must have been just a lovely relative," he replied.

"I don't know. I haven't talked to any remaining family since the funeral," she answered. He nodded. "If it's any consolation, Mac, I think that winter weddings are some of the best. Anyways, there's just something romantic about it." She concentrated on her work. He looked at her confused.

"I've never seen you like this. Something about weddings?"

"I guess so," she sighed.

"He'll ask you," Mac told her suddenly.

"What?"

"Hawkes will ask you to marry him," he answered. She looked over at him. "You know he will. Don't even act like you don't want him to." She nodded. He looked over at him. "He's already asked you hasn't he?"

"Not exactly. We've talked about marriage. He starts it, and I shoot him down. Why am I telling you this?" she asked. Mac shrugged. They got back to work only occasionally looking up to see if the snow had stopped.

…………………………………………………………….

"Well, isn't this great?" Stella mumbled as someone else cancelled because of the snow storm. They had no church or reception area because the snow was too deep. Mac sighed.

"I blame Kelly," he said.

"Why?"

"We worked a case together," he smiled. They held each other. "If you trust me, I have an idea for the wedding." He thought about what Kelly said about the snow.

"I trust you. You know that," they smiled.

"I need to make a call," he left her in her office.

………………………………………………………………….

"Mac, I don't get paid enough," Kelly told him.

"I'm giving all of you the day off if you shovel some snow," Mac told them.

"We'll do it. I think it's a good idea," Lindsay replied. Kelly rolled her eyes. The 'lowly CSI's' got their coats, gloves, and hats on. They met Flack and Angell outside.

"Kill that man," Kelly mumbled. She dipped the shovel low and lifted it, adding the snow to her pile. They left a layer of snow on the ground. She felt something icy cold hit her face. She looked up to see Danny and Flack laughing. She went to her snow pile and took a chunk of ice and threw it at the guys. It hit Flack in the nose. Danny was leaning over laughing. Kelly chucked a snowball at him hitting his head. Danny stopped laughing. Kelly hit the deck as snowballs came her way. Danny decided to throw them at the others.

"That is so immature!" Lindsay yelled as she threw a snowball at him. Danny ducked as it hit Flack. Flack threw one back at Lindsay who hit the deck and it hit Angell. Suddenly everyone was into this fight. Snowballs were flying, and the CSI's and Detectives were having a blast. They had successfully recovered the area they had just shoveled. Kelly and Lindsay were on the ground crawling Army style trying to escape Danny and Flack. They were suddenly showered with snow. Danny stood over them with two snowballs. Kelly turned over so her back was in the snow. She hooked Danny's ankle with her foot and brought him down. A large thud and snow shot everywhere. Kelly mashed some snow together and threw it in his face. Danny swiped his arm across the snow covering both of the women. Kelly bounced up brushing off the snow. She kicked some powder into Danny's face. He spat it out. He grabbed her ankle and pulled her down causing the powder to whoosh. They had lost Flack and Angell. They were somewhere in the snow. Flack was making a move on her. He had tackled her and was now on top of her about to kiss her when they saw them. Kelly threw a snow ball at him hitting them both.

"Get a room!" she yelled. Flack smiled. He got up helping Angell up. Kelly threw another snow ball at him hitting him on his irresistible face. He wiped it off.

"I will! Now if I remember correctly, you and Hawkes were doing something of the sort in the lab," Flack called back. He got hit by two more snow balls.

"We are going to have to shovel all of this back up," Hawkes said. They all groaned, but they did return to what they were originally doing.

"You've been out here for three hours, and you've gotten nothing done?" Mac asked. They all looked at him. Kelly pulled her beanie down. Danny wiped off his glasses. Lindsay brushed herself off. Hawkes also wiped off his glasses. Flack stopped holding Angell so closely.

"Well, in all fairness, we started throwing snow balls. We're getting back to work. Why'd you come down here?" Kelly asked as the snow started to pick up again. Mac picked up a shovel.

"To help you all," Mac started to help. Kelly shrugged and began to make another pile. The others returned to the work.

"You have to be shooting me!" Kelly said finally. The others stopped and looked at her. "My dress! Hawkes' suit! The wedding is in two hours. How am I supposed to get there and back?" The others had the same situation.

"Okay, I say that three of us stay and shovel snow. Mac has to get ready," Lindsay said.

"I'll get your dress and my suit," Hawkes offered. Kelly agreed. Danny offered to get Lindsay's stuff. And Flack went to get Angell's. The women made Mac get ready since his suit had been delivered to the lab. They still needed to do some things. They abandoned shoveling and went to accomplish their 'mission.'

……………………………………………………….

"Okay, we have to shower. I feel disgusting playing in snow off of the streets," Kelly said.

"Lab showers?" Lindsay suggested. They shrugged and hoped the guys would realize where they were.

"Mac's going to be so happy," Kelly said as they took the elevator up. They agreed. "Oh my gosh speakers!" Kelly got off the elevator and sprinted to the A/V lab. Mac would forgive her. She hoped. Theoretically it wasn't stealing. It was borrowing without asking. She skidded to a stop. They were pushing the time.

…………………………………………………………

"Okay, how do I look?" Angell asked the other girls.

"Good, I can't believe we pulled this off," Kelly said as she blew the last bit of her hair dry. She wasn't exactly a frilly person, but she wanted to look nice.

"Doubt we were the audience they thought they would get," Lindsay mumbled.

"Yeah, but I think it's just the fact that they are getting married," Kelly replied. "I mean we all remember how much we wanted them to get together." They nodded.

"How did you figure it out?" Angell asked.

"Flirting," she replied smiling. Lindsay rolled her eyes.

……………………………………………………………

"What was the point of getting your dresses if you're wearing coats and snow shoes?" Danny asked.

"Because it's the thought that counts," Lindsay answered. He sighed but fell silent as the ceremony began.

……………………………………………………………

"Do you Mac Taylor take Stella Bonasera in sickness and in health until death do you part?" the reverend asked.

"I do," he said smiling.

"And do you Stella Bonasera take Mac Taylor in sickness and in health until death do you part?" he asked her.

"I do," she grinned.

"And is there anyone who does not wish this union to take place?" the reverend asked. Hawkes, Danny, Lindsay, Flack, and Angell all looked at Kelly as if she would say something. She gave each of them a glare. They wanted to laugh but refrained. "Since there are no objections, you may now kiss your bride." And he did.

"Are you crying, Kelly?" Danny asked as she breathed hard through her nose.

"No, I have bad allergies"

"Sure you do," he smiled.

……………………………………………………………..

"Thanks, Kelly," Mac told her.

"I'm sure there's a valid reason, but why?"

"For working the case," she knew he meant about them talking.

"Wait, you're first song. My choice. Don't give me that look," she told him smiling. She went over to the speakers where her iPod was plugged in. "I know that normally there would be a band, but I think that this is just perfect." Kelly turned it to _When Stars Go Blue_ by _Tim McGraw._ Mac took Stella's hand.

_Dancin' when the stars go blue  
__Dancin' when the evening fell  
__Dancin' in your wooden shoes  
__In a wedding gown_

_Dancin' out on 7__th__ street  
__Dancin' through the underground  
__Dancin' with the marionette  
__Are you happy now?_

_Where do you go when you're lonely?  
__Where do you go when you're blue?  
__Where do you go when you're lonely?  
__I'll follow you when the stars go blue  
__Stars go blue, stars go blue  
__Stars go blue_

_Laughin' with your pretty mouth  
__Laughin' with your broken eyes  
__Laughin' with your lover's tongue  
__In a lullaby_

_Where do you go when you're lonely?  
__Where do you go when you're blue?  
__Where do you go when you're lonely?  
__I'll follow you when the stars go blue  
__Stars go blue, stars go blue  
__Stars go blue_

Mac held her close as he rocked her back and forth. Kelly whistled, but he didn't care. The snow fell around the couple as even the others went inside to get away from the cold. They were going to be together forever. And that after all was enough.

**After Notes: Did you like? Did you not like? I hope you liked it, and that it was a proper offering. I am hoping that it was good enough, and that I don't have to hide. I guess I should say that I will have one maybe two more before I'm gone from posting and reading for two and a half weeks. I hope it's only that. The song was **_**When Stars Go Blue**_** by **_**Tim McGraw**_**. I also like his version of **_**Tiny Dancer**_**. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: CountryGirl8, EverythingIsConnected, Bonasera, Blue Shadowdancer, lily moonlight, GregRox, and CSIMiami17! I really liked having the wedding be in the winter. I 'borrowed' the idea from FRIENDS. Phoebe and Mike get married on the street in the snow. I think that it's perfect for Mac and Stella. That reminds me. I wrote a one shot called **_**Right Where I Need To Be**_**. Please read it! Hope you have a great day! :D**


	53. The One On The Fourth Of July

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. I think you all know that by now.**

**Notes: I know I'm skipping around in seasons. Happy Birthday America! Like always, enjoy.**

**The One On The Fourth Of July**

"To America," everyone raised their drinks to that. Kelly had a Coca-Cola can. Everyone else, Danny and Flack, had alcohol. She didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time.

"This is great," Kelly told Flack. It was his roof after all.

_I'm gonna write you a letter  
__I'm gonna write you a book  
__I wanna see your reaction  
__I wanna see how it looks_

_From way up on your cloud  
__Where you've been hiding out  
__Are you getting somewhere?  
__Or did you get lost in Amsterdam?_

"Aren't you going to get that?" Flack asked.

"No, it's either Mac or Stella," she said. She hit the decline button.

"So what's your ringtone for me?" Flack asked.

"_Gunpowder & Lead_ because I want to shoot you when you call me at three in the morning. I have it set for Danny too," she answered. "Angell and Lindsay don't call me enough. I think I put them as _Talk_. Hawkes is _Cemeteries of London_. What am I for you?"

"_What Was I Thinking?_" Flack answered. Kelly rolled her eyes. "No, you're _Viva La Vida_."

"I didn't know you were a _Coldplay_ fan," Kelly smiled impressed.

"Well, I think it fits you. You think you rule the world," he said playfully. Kelly laughed.

"Don't flirt," she told him smiling that she was the one saying that.

"It's a playful banter," he answered. They had just switched places. They started cracking up.

"Both of you stop it," Danny said. They looked at him rolling their eyes.

"So Happy Birthday, America," Kelly took another drink of her coke.

"Yeah, Happy Birthday, USA," Danny took a swig of his beer. Flack took a drink of his.

"You know the war didn't end then," Kelly said laying down looking at the sky.

"Yeah it went on till 1783 with the Treaty of Paris. In 1781, Cornwallis surrendered to Washington," Kelly said as the guys joined her.

"Yep," Danny said.

"So how's married life treating you, Danno?" Flack asked.

"Awesome, how's dating?"

"Great, Hawkes is going to ask me to marry him soon. I found the box," Kelly told them. They looked at her and her calm expression.

"You sure?"

"Well, I hope he's not cheating on me. I would feel terrible," she replied.

"No, he isn't. I don't think he's a good enough liar," Danny assured her.

"He even know where you are?" Flack asked.

"Yeah, he knows I'm with y'all," she answered. "Lindsay know where you are?"

"Yeah," Danny said.

"Angell's working, but she should figure it out," Flack told them.

_I'm bringing sexy back  
__Them other boys don't know how to act_

"You going to answer that, Flack?" Kelly asked. He had hit the decline button.

"Who was that?" Danny asked smiling. "That was Jessica, right?"

"Um, Stella actually," Flack told them. They looked at him and laughed. He turned red. "It's been that ringtone for a while."

"Yeah, so we going to watch _Independence Day_ later or not?" Kelly wondered.

"Later probably," Flack said as they heard the door close behind them. "Shaun, don't you think of lighting those fireworks!" Kelly and Danny were surprised by him. They looked behind them at a young man and his friends with a paper bag full of fireworks.

"What you going to do, Donald?" Shaun asked.

"Arrest you," the three detectives got up.

"What you three? Come on it's the Fourth of July," Shaun pleaded.

"And fireworks are illegal," Flack answered. "Look, I'll tell your mom. She is going to kill you if I talk to her again. So you are going to go back into your apartment. Leave the fireworks here." The teenagers left the bags there and sulked downstairs. Kelly and Danny looked at Flack impressed.

"Nice one. Getting ready to be a father?"

"Not anytime soon," Flack answered. "You want kids?"

"No, I focus too much on work," Kelly said.

"Yes, flirting is hard to do. I can't believe he is flirting back though," Danny laughed. Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Just some fun," Kelly told them finding her place again on the ground. All three were lying down. "I wish I was back in Texas so I could see the fireworks."

"Yeah, it would be good," Flack glanced at the fireworks.

"Don't even think about it, Detective Flack," Kelly told him.

"Not on your watch, Detective Higgins," Flack answered.

"I wonder what the others are doing," Danny sighed.

……………………………………………………………

"Happy Birthday, America," Mac raised a glass to that as did the others.

"To us, to our country, and to our troops," Hawkes drank. The others agreed.

"So why do Kelly, Flack, and Danny never come and celebrate with us?" Stella asked.

"They watch _Independence Day _every single time," Lindsay said. "And then they crash at one of their places." Hawkes and Angell agreed.

"It's a weird tradition," Hawkes mumbled.

"Oh well, we can't change this now," Angell said.

"You know they can say 'the President's' speech in that movie by heart," Lindsay added.

"Today we celebrate our Independence Day," Hawkes mocked. The others laughed.

"I picked a hell of a day to quit drinking," Lindsay told them. They laughed.

"Oops," Angell added.

"I think you three have watched it way too many times," Mac said.

"Probably," they answered.

"Think they are mouthing every single line right now?" Stella asked.

"No, they won't start the movie until later. I think it's at Flack's this year," Lindsay said. Angell nodded.

………………………………………………………………….

"Alright, I have the popcorn and beers and a soda for Kelly," Danny came in. He handed her the cola and the popcorn. Flack stole the popcorn from her. Danny sank down in the couch as they started watching the movie.

"Steal any more popcorn, and you won't wake up tomorrow," Kelly told the guys. They backed away only taking handfuls instead of taking it from her. She jumped a little when the alien suit was cut in half. "Every year!" The guys shushed her laughing.

"Release me," they mouthed each line as it was said.

……………………………………………………………………

Kelly woke up with her head on Flack's shoulder. Danny was asleep on her shoulder. If they weren't her best friends, that would have been awkward. Kind of like when she fell asleep on Mac's shoulder. That was awkward. It could have been worse. At least none of the Miami people, Caitie, had seen that. If she wasn't so tired then, she would have gotten up. So for then, she went back to sleep.

"Well, yeah I got a picture," Kelly woke up to Jessica talking on the phone. She saw Danny over on her left his arm around her shoulder, and she was leaning on Flack. She literally jumped up. Flack and Danny stirred but didn't get up. Jessica hung up. "That's quite compromising." Kelly scowled.

"I got to go. Shift starts soon," Kelly walked for the door. She had like four hours till it started.

…………………………………………………………………….

"That is quite the compromising position," even Mac thought it so. Kelly, Danny, and Flack were so embarrassed. They quietly seethed. "Kelly Higgins, two guys at once. I must say." It was a joke of course.

"Mac Taylor, if you think for one minute that something happened, you don't know me," she told him. He laughed.

"Kelly, I know you well enough that if you did have a one night stand it wouldn't be with Danny and or Flack," he told her. She glared. He smiled and gave her a pat on the back. "I would never think you would do that. Too low even for you."

"Thanks," Kelly muttered.

"The picture's nothing. We're just giving you a hard time," he assured her. She rolled her eyes and reached for the phone. Mac pulled it close to himself. "It's nothing!" Kelly groaned. He smiled. _This joking thing is fun._ She shook her head. What were they doing?

"It's just a tradition we've had since I've been here. We always crash on a couch while watching _Independence Day_," she told Mac who nodded.

"Yeah okay, whatever," he replied.

"You just wish you had a cool tradition like that," Kelly just couldn't come up with an insult.

"Nice one," Mac answered sarcastically.

"Don't you ever just go on the roof and look at the sky?"

"Is that what you were doing?" he answered as if he was insinuating something else.

"Oh, be quiet," she told him smiling.

**After Notes: Short, but I'm tired. Happy Independence Day! No hard feelings? I mean it's been more than two hundred years, but grudges can take a while to get over. I'm joking. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: Bonasera, lily moonlight, kaidiii, EverythingIsConnected, Blue Shadowdancer, CSIMiami17, GregRox, luf100, Mrs. Ioan Gruffud! They rock. The first lyrics were **_**Amsterdam **_**by **_**Guster**_**. The second mentioned is **_**Gunpowder & Lead **_**by **_**Miranda Lambert**_**. The third fourth and sixth songs are by **_**Coldplay.**_** The fifth is **_**What Was I Thinking **_**by **_**Dierks Bentley**_**. The second set of lyrics is from **_**Sexy Back**_** by **_**Justin Timberlake**_**. Well, I'm off to bed. Happy Birthday America! And many many more! Hope you have a great day!**


	54. The One With The Wrong Timing

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Well, Kelly knows Hawkes is going to propose. But where? And when? And what about Flack's ringtone? Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Wrong Timing**

"_Kelly, I was thinking we should get married," Hawkes told her._

"_I don't think now is the best time," Kelly had her mind on the task at hand._

…………………………………………………………

"Kelly, you know that case you're working?" Mac asked.

"I hope I do. I think I'm a good CSI," she said.

"We found this evidence linking your suspect to an underground gambling ring," Mac replied.

"And?" Kelly said taking the evidence back to its locker.

"Well, you know," Mac said.

"No, I don't," she insisted.

"Well, go undercover. We need you and Flack to go undercover and take it down," Mac said.

"Okay," Kelly replied rolling her eyes.

"Please, no one else will," he answered.

"I wonder why," Kelly answered sarcastically. He stopped.

"I don't know why I'm asking. You're going undercover so get over it," Mac told her.

"Oh, tough love. So sexy," she told him.

"Oh, you think so?" Mac asked. He was smiling.

"Another thing. Boss/subordinate relationships don't work," she told him. "There might be an irony there." He laughed.

…………………………………………………………………

"Flack, Don Flack," he said to the person. They decided not to make fake I.D.'s.

"Kelly Higgins, and you ain't no James Bond," she told the guy.

"And you ain't no Jennifer Garner," Flack told her.

"Funny, Mac says that to me too," she said as they went to the poker table.

"You two need to stop flirting. He's married," Flack said and then added under his breath. "And off limits to you."

"Oh, like you've never flirted with someone married, and it's not like we mean anything," Kelly told him.

"I can hear everything you are saying," Hawkes said. He and Mac were doing surveillance.

"Love you too," Kelly told him. Hawkes was sitting leaning back in the chair flipping open and close the box with the engagement ring in it. Mac rolled his eyes.

"Stop it! Just ask her already! I am sick of you opening and closing that," Mac told him. Hawkes pocketed it and started tapping his fingers. "That's even more annoying." Hawkes stopped. "Ask her or she isn't going to be yours for long."

"I don't remember asking your opinion," Hawkes mumbled. "I mean sorry." Mac nodded.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"Okay, pair of Aces. Read it and weep," a guy told them.

"I have a straight"

"Flush," Kelly said.

"Royal flush," someone said.

"That's not possible," Flack said. "All Aces are out. You have a fifth Ace." He stood up. Kelly followed suit as did the other player. The cheater stood up. Three people circled him.

"What do ya think you're doing? They're cops," he accused. Hawkes and Mac stood up. Kelly and Flack stood standing staring at the guy not letting them hint something else.

"They aren't cops," a guy said. "Too pretty."

"They are," the cheater replied. Kelly and Flack decided that this wasn't going down the road they wanted. They clenched their fists ready for a fight. Clichéd, maybe, but they would fight it out.

"What the heck are you two doing?" Kelly and Flack heard Mac tell them.

"If you aren't cops, why are you getting defensive?" the cheater asked.

"I don't like false accusations," Kelly answered.

"They aren't false, Serpico," this drove Kelly over the edge. Flack tried to hold her back, but she went and punched the guy.

"I'm not just a cop. I'm a CSI," she punched him again. With their cover blown, the fight began. Flack punched the guy behind him.

"Kelly, what did you do?" Mac asked.

"I've had worse fights," she kicked the guy on the ground. "In college at the pool hall." She groaned as she was punched in the stomach. She hit the ground.

……………………………………………………………..

"Keep them both talking and fighting. I'm going in with back up," Mac told Hawkes. Hawkes took the microphone they used. Mac left. Then was as good a time as any.

"Kelly, I was thinking we should get married," Hawkes told her.

"I don't think now is the best time," Kelly had her mind on the task at hand.

"You never want to talk about it. I know that you found the ring, Kelly. I've known I wanted to ask you this for a while. Please, marry me," he said.

"You know I can hear everything you are saying," Flack mumbled.

"Hawkes, I don't know. I'm trying to concentrate," she said as she was punched onto the ground. She coughed and was up and at him again. A series of kicks and punches later and the guy was on the ground. "What now?" She was being quite the showboat. Flack rolled his eyes.

"Kelly, are you going to answer me or not?" Hawkes asked.

"Yes, I will answer you, no I won't marry you," Kelly answered. "I mean I will." She fixed her mistake. She smiled. "Where's back up?"

"Here," Mac said coming in.

"A little late," Flack knocked the guy to the ground.

"Had to get a vest on," Mac answered laughing as some regular cops holstered their guns.

"That's cruel," Kelly laughed wiping her lip. He smiled.

"You two stop before you start. Mac, you're married, and Kelly, you're getting married," Flack said.

"You are?"

"Yeah, I am," she said as Hawkes came into the room. He ran up and hugged her tightly. She kind of just stood there.

"Thank gosh you're okay"

"Oh now you wish that I'm okay, but after being taken hostage with Mac, escaping, and then getting beaten again, you aren't there," she told him. He apologized again for that and let her go examining her lip. "It's nothing. Probably my seventh split lip while working here."

"Yeah, so Sullivan's? After shift?" Flack asked. They all agreed. Hawkes walked out, his arm around Kelly's shoulder.

……………………………………………………………

"To Hawkes and Kelly!" everyone drank to that with the exception of Hawkes and Kelly. "I never thought Kelly would get married."

"I never thought I'd beat the crap out of you for a comment like that. Wait, I haven't, but I can always work that into my schedule," Kelly told Flack.

"Oh so violent," Danny laughed. She glared. "Well, we all know Kelly's first love." Kelly gave him a look to kill.

"Oh yes?" Flack asked playing along.

"Well, Mac Taylor of course," Danny answered. Kelly was so embarrassed as was Mac. She sunk down in her chair even though she knew they were joking. Hawkes had his arm around her laughing because it was a no harm no foul situation.

"I mean seriously. You two flirt more than Danny and Lindsay flirt," Flack said laughing.

"Stella, can I borrow your phone?" Kelly asked remembering Flack's ringtone for her. Stella handed it over confused. Kelly dialed the familiar number.

_I'm bringing sexy back  
__Them other boys don't know how to act  
__I think It's special what's behind your back  
__So turn around and I'll pick up the slack  
__(Take 'em to the bridge)_

"Flack, who's calling you?" Angell asked as Kelly hit the button to end the call. The ringer stopped.

"Funny how it stopped as soon as I ended my call especially since I was calling Flack. Well, actually Stella was calling Flack," Kelly said smugly enjoying this. He shot a glare. "Payback sucks, doesn't it?"

"I don't know if I would say that. I mean we still don't know what you and Mac were doing on those 'talks.' Are you ever going to tell us?" Danny asked.

"No, it's none of your business," Kelly told him.

"And is your Miami friend going to be at your wedding?" Flack wondered.

"No!" Kelly said straight away.

"I liked her," Danny replied.

"Oh yes I'm sure you did," Kelly mumbled.

"Yeah, four in the morning, tsk tsk," Flack told her. Kelly just about punched him.

"Come on, Kelly," Danny said.

"I know where you sleep," she told him threateningly. Danny scooted back in mock fear.

"Kelly Higgins, Mac is married," Flack was just trying to annoy her.

"Do you want to know what we talked about?" Kelly asked fiercely. The others looked in disbelief. She never let them inside what happened.

"Okay"

"My family was killed in front of me. That's what we talked about. Nothing else. He helped me through that. I told you it wasn't your business, and I'm regretting telling you this," Kelly just walked out. She was that annoyed.

"I didn't know that," Flack mumbled.

"Neither did I," Danny said. Stella, Lindsay, and Angell agreed.

"I knew," Hawkes replied. "It's just something that I think Mac made her do. I'm going after her."

……………………………………………………………………………….

"Look, we're sorry about what happened last night," Danny told her.

"I know. I over reacted," she told him. "And don't pity me." And they left it at that.

**After Notes: Okay, another short one. I'm so tired guys. I'll have longer ones when I get back. I am leaving for two weeks. I guess I might have one more before I leave. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, EverythingIsConnected, Bonasera, lily moonlight, CSIMiami17, Blue Shadowdancer, and Mrs. Donald Flack Jr.! They are amazing! They are the definition of amazing! Hope you have a great day! :D**


	55. The One With The Misunderstanding

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I didn't think that I'd write another one shot before I left, but I just got this idea. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Misunderstanding**

"_I might have deserved that," Mac rubbed his shoulder after Kelly took a swing at him._

………………………………………………………

"Crap," Kelly could barely see anything in the apartment. Mac came in behind her. "And I thought that chivalry was dead."

"Get over it," he told her. "Split up. I'll take the kitchen. You take the bedroom." Kelly smirked as did Flack. "Okay, can you stop perverting everything I say?" Kelly rolled her eyes but went to find the bedroom. Her flashlight was futile amongst the smoke. There wasn't a fire so why was there smoke? Kelly continued into what she thought was the bedroom. Mac went into what he thought was the kitchen. Kelly, of course, went into the kitchen. Everything happened in the kitchen. She felt a hand go over her mouth. She elbowed the guy which freed her mouth.

"Mac! Flack!" she yelled before the hand returned to her mouth. She continued to fight. _Why me? _Mac went into the kitchen Flack at his heels. The guy behind Kelly left through the freshly opened window. It was still smoky and Mac punched who he thought was the suspect. He heard a thud. He immediately went to the ground where he brought up the now dazed person. He was about to take another swing when something caught his eye on the ground. A badge. He dropped who he was holding. Flack went to that person. Mac picked up the badge. Kelly's badge.

"Mac, I think you might have punched the wrong person," Flack said examining the now ticked detective.

"Ouch," Kelly felt her jaw. Mac looked sheepish. "I swear I will kill you." She mumbled not making sense. She stood up and took a swing at Mac for payback.

"I might have deserved that," Mac rubbed his shoulder after Kelly took a swing at him.

"Might have?" Kelly said rubbing her jaw. "You clocked me in the face. I know you don't like me, but you didn't have to punch me. Can I have my badge back?" He handed it to her looking down. She snatched it and returned it to her waistband. Mac looked down and mumbled an apology.

"Kelly, let's get you some ice at least," Flack offered. Kelly declined.

"No, we need to get back to the lab. I think I scratched the guy," Kelly said looking at her fingernails. "But I don't trust Mac to get the DNA out." That was a dig.

"Take it out yourself. There's some tools in my kit," Mac replied.

………………………………………………………..

"Any hits yet on that DNA?" Mac asked.

"No, but you'll be the first to know even if you did punch me," Kelly rubbed it in his face. Mac looked down just a little ashamed of punching her. "Well, it was a good punch so yeah."

"Well, I shouldn't have"

"Yes, but you did. We can't change that"

"You are surprisingly forgiving," Mac told her. She shrugged. "Which means you have an ulterior motive."

"Maybe I want to ask you something," Kelly told him.

"Okay, walk with me," he said as they left the DNA lab.

"So since I don't have like a father or any close family. Well, never mind I shouldn't ask…"

"No, go ahead"

"I don't know. You are the closest thing I have to family or a father figure. I was just wondering if you would give me away at my wedding," she said quietly.

………………………………………………………….

"So did you get that from a suspect?" Stella asked in the break room.

"No, Mac," Kelly answered.

"What?" Stella spit the liquid she was drinking into the cup.

"I'll rephrase. He accidently punched me," Kelly said. "There was a little bit of confusion, and he thought I was the suspect and punched me."

"Yeah, I just am having trouble believing that Mac did that to you," Stella told her.

"It was quite surprising when it happened," Kelly mumbled finally putting some ice on it. "At least he came to my rescue. Great attempt though. I think I'll take care of suspects from right now."

"I just can't believe it," Stella said.

"I got the trace results," Danny came in handing her the results then looking at the other CSI in the room. "Kells, what happened to your jaw?"

"Mac," she mumbled. Danny laughed. _Why don't they believe me?_

"Okay, whatever. How hard did you get hit?"

"No, it was a misunderstanding. He thought I was someone else," Kelly said leaving the room holding a cold cola to her jaw.

"Ulterior motive there, Kells?" Flack asked when he saw her in the hall.

"Nope, just icing my jaw like you told me to," she answered feeling the cold transfer from the coke can. She cringed as it still hurt.

"Anything on that DNA?" Flack asked.

"It's not done yet. They can't test it yet. When we find that guy, let me in the interrogation room with him," Kelly had one of her famous glints in her eyes. Flack backed up a little laughing.

"Okay, Kells," Flack said.

……………………………………………………………………….

"I got the DNA results," a tech said, x amount of hours later. Kelly thanked him and had Flack get patrol to pick him up.

……………………………………………………………………

"Well, isn't that a nice bruise?" the suspect asked. "I can hit pretty hard." Kelly laughed loudly.

"That wasn't you," she said stepping away from the wall she was leaning on. Flack was sitting at the table.

"So you like women?" Flack asked. The guy scoffed.

"No," he was sarcastic.

"Sarcasm doesn't get picked up on the record," Kelly mumbled.

"So, what? You walked into the bar and saw her. Thought you'd make a move? She resisted, and you killed her?" Flack asked.

"That's not how it happened," the guy defended himself.

"How did it happen?" Kelly asked walking towards the suspect.

"I was just minding my own business. She comes over, and it was like wow. I knew I had found the right chick," he said. Kelly laughed.

"You just knew?" she scoffed.

"You don't believe in love at first sight obviously. I see you are getting married," the suspect said. Kelly took her left hand away.

"What's it to you?"

"I'm just saying that you don't seem the type to say that love doesn't exist," the suspect defended.

"You didn't answer my question," Kelly snarled.

"So I made my move. She led me on then she acted like she didn't know me," Kelly and Flack looked at each other.

"She was married. She wasn't leading you on. She was being kind. She didn't know that you were trying to make a move," Flack glared.

"And she was pregnant," Kelly told him. He looked up.

"She was?"

"You killed a woman who was married and pregnant because she didn't want you like that," Flack told him.

"So, now, you're going down for two murders," Kelly added as Flack closed the case file. A regular cop led the guy out of interrogation. Kelly and Flack looked at each other and smiled. Another case closed. Another murder solved.

"Sullivan's," they said at once. They knew each other too well.

…………………………………………………………….

"That was pretty amazing," Kelly said as she and Flack met the others at Sullivan's.

"Took some talking to, but we got the guy," Flack told the others. "DNA from under Kelly's nails matched the killers who we went to arrest."

"Only took some punches. I don't think that I've ever come out of a case unscathed. I've had bones broken and have been punched," Kelly retold.

"Yes, and I'm sorry"

"I know," Kelly replied.

"Then why bring it up?"

"Because no one believes me that you punched me"

"Well, I did. I'm not proud of it, but I couldn't see in there," Mac mumbled.

"Then Kelly punched him," Flack said.

"It was payback!" Kelly defended herself.

"You two either flirt or fight. There's no in between," Danny said.

"Well, I wouldn't say that exactly," Kelly thought about what they talked about and his answer.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, you'll find out," Kelly told them. Mac nodded.

"Secret affair," Danny said disguised in a fit of coughs. Everyone got his message though.

"Coming from the player himself," Kelly answered.

"It's different now. You can't say that now that I'm married," Danny answered. Kelly and Mac just glared at him. "Okay, I get your point. And, Kelly, I don't need you to remind me of why you were talking. It's just a joke. Maybe, it's not funny."

"You think?" Kelly asked.

"Whatever, Indy," Danny used that nickname they had given her after that case.

"That's Dr. Jones to you," she answered.

**After Notes: Short, but I thought you guys would enjoy one more before I left for two weeks. I hope it was funny. I always wondered what would happen if Mac mistook Kelly for someone else. Well, there it is. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: EverythingIsConnected, Bonasera, lily moonlight, GregRox, Blue Shadowdancer, and luf100! They rock! Hope you have a great day! :D**


	56. The One With The Competition

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. I think I've used just about every variation of the amazing reasons.**

**Notes: Well, this one's for lily moonlight. She knows why. Also, there might be a bridge, but it won't be that type. I'm thinking like a bridge near a dock or something. I don't know. Like always, enjoy.**

**Thanks to lily moonlight for the read through and all her help with this (which was a lot literally)!**

**The One With The Competition**

_I'm gonna write you a letter  
__I'm gonna write you a book  
__I wanna see your reaction  
__I wanna see how it looks_

_From way up on your cloud  
__Where you've been hiding out  
__Are you getting somewhere?  
__Or did you get lost in Amsterdam?_

"Hello?" Kelly mumbled into her phone groggily as she wished she was asleep again.

"We have a scene. 43rd and 22nd"

"Stella?" Kelly asked thoroughly confused as to why it wasn't Mac waking her up this early with a phone call. Thought spontaneity kept life going so Kelly embraced it.

"Yeah, get up," she answered hanging up. Kelly rolled her eyes mumbling random bits of Italian under her breath.

"What happened to good-bye?" she asked aloud to herself. "Or good morning?"

……………………………………………………….

"Morning," Kelly mumbled at the scene still ticked by the whole ordeal. She looked at her watch for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Thirtieth was more like it.

"You really don't sound very cheery," Lindsay said under her breath seeing as she was also angry at the early wake up call.

"I really don't like these early morning wake up calls. I got them like all the time with Mac and now Stella," Kelly grumbled.

"Well, this time you won't be punched, almost killed, or whatever happens when you work with him," Stella told her.

"Yeah, like that will ever happen," Kelly answered heatedly, obviously ready to fight and not caring who she fought with. Normally, she got along better with Stella and Lindsay then with Mac who she fought with constantly. Then again, she got along with everyone better than with Mac except on those random rare occasions like when they were taken hostage. Well, actually, they fought at first so really they never stopped fighting, _ever_.

"What do we have?" Stella asked not wanting to fight that early in the morning.

"Homicide," Jessica Angell answered.

"So what is this? _Battle of the Sexes_? Do the guys have another scene?" Kelly questioned.

"Actually, yeah," Lindsay told her to save Stella the trouble. Kelly smirked, wondering how that was going.

………………………………………………………….

"Curse this," Danny murmured as he came to the scene at the docks.

"Well, good morning to you," Sheldon replied sarcastically.

"You know what? I just hate mornings," Danny answered angrily. Hawkes put his hands up in mock defense, quickly becoming the target of Danny's unspoken rage.

"You and Kelly are so much alike," he mumbled as he got to work.

"I couldn't care less," Danny replied.

"Shut up! I don't want to be here anymore than you two," Don grumbled. Mac was the only one who hadn't said anything yet to them. He was busy processing the scene and trying to ignore his CSIs and Flack. Then again, he wasn't one to complain.

………………………………………………………………

"Trace? DNA? Tox?" Kelly fired out the questions.

"No, I hate when you do this," Adam told her. She smirked, stifling her urge to laugh. "I have Mac's case work to run too, you know."

"Oh, whatever. My case is more important," she answered.

"How?"

"Because it's mine and therefore better and more important," Kelly said smugly.

"Stop," Mac said walking in, obviously wanting his results. "And for the record, Kelly, its Stella's case not yours."

"Well, it's _my_ evidence that_ I_ collected," she told him. "So it ranks importance here. But wait, Mac, don't pull the boss card. Yeah, I know you would. You are so predictable which makes it more fun to do what I do whatever that is. And, Adam, don't even go to the flirting fighting thing." What she said genuinely shocked the guys. "So work_ my_ evidence first." Mac laughed.

"Congratulations," he told her. She had a puzzled look on her face. "On officially becoming a New Yorker." She nodded, smiling.

"I guess I will take that as a compliment," Kelly said leaning over the table as Mac had done. Adam felt a bit trapped between the two of them. He stepped back, freeing himself from his jail.

"I don't have any results," Adam replied, wishing they would stop invading his personal bubble.

"Just page me as soon as you have them and put a rush on them," Mac told him, leaving just as soon as he entered.

"Well, put _my_ evidence on a rush," Kelly ordered, trying hard not to laugh at Adam. She left him to his personal bubble.

……………………………………………………………………

Adam was debating who to page first. If he paged Mac first, Kelly would get mad at him for working on his evidence when she had given him hers first. She frightened him a little, and he knew that she knew that. If he paged Kelly first, Mac would get onto him about it. Of course the longer he waited, the more likely it would be that Mac would get onto him about the importance of evidence and prioritizing it and catching suspects. Adam then decided and chose the wisest and most fair decision he knew of. The flip of a coin.

………………………………………………………………………………….

"You have the results?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, salt water and then an iron oxide. Strange, so I took the liberty of looking it up. There's a warehouse by the docks for _Sherwin Williams_. It's consistent with that. Then someone in DNA handed me these results from that blood. One Ryan Copper," Adam said handing him the results. He was about to add something else, but Mac had walked off after mumbling a thank you. He just kind of stood there until Kelly walked in, having seen that Mac had gotten his results.

"Anything yet?"

"Yeah, the trace is salt water and iron oxide. And the blood was Ryan Copper. He works at a warehouse by the docks. Here are the results," Adam handed her everything and told her where the warehouse was. He wanted to add that he thought the cases were connected, but she had already left.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

"So Adam said that this Ryan guy works at this paint warehouse," Kelly filled Stella in on the details of the results. "So I guess we should bring him in. I called Angell, and she's testifying to an arrest in court right now so it's just us two."

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Is that one of your cars?" Flack asked.

"Yeah, I think it is. What is going on?" Mac answered, getting out of the vehicle.

"No idea," Flack replied.

……………………………………………………………………………………

"What are you-"

"Doing here? I could ask the same thing," Mac finished her question.

"Well, the evidence led us here obviously," Kelly stated. "We really just can't not end up working together, can we?"

"No, but who is your suspect?"

"Ryan Copper," Stella entered the conversation. The four of them seemed to share a look that made each of them feel like an idiot for not realizing the case connection. "And he's your suspect too."

"Yeah," Don answered.

"Can I help you?" a petite woman came up to the four detectives.

"We're looking for a Ryan Copper," Stella told her. The woman took them over to the edge of the dock where a man matching Ryan Copper's description was unloading boxes of paint. She left the four and went off to fill out the remainder of her paperwork.

"Copper?" Flack asked.

"Who's asking?"

"New York's finest," Kelly answered. _Well, that only applies me so why did I say that?_ Ryan Copper threw the box he was holding at Mac who dodged it by stepping backwards. What happened next, Kelly laughed so very hard at. Plus, she never thought she would be able to use the line that she used. Mac overstepped his bearing, and as Flack tackled the suspect to the ground Mac fell into the water. Kelly started laughing so hard that she felt tears well up in her eyes. Even Stella laughed. They had never seen Mac that clumsy. Flack was trying hard not to laugh as he was still handcuffing the suspect. Kelly leaned over laughing and offered a hand as did Stella.

"Want some help out?" she laughed.

"No," Mac took Stella's hand and pulled himself out as water slopped off of him. He ran his hands through his hair which, in turn, stood up. "Déjà vu." They looked at him funny. He couldn't even explain why it felt that way. Maybe it was a dream he had or something where he fell off a bridge. Probably the Brooklyn Bridge. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Wow," was all Stella could get out. Everyone seemed to look at Kelly who was visibly struggling to say something. "That's just, well, wow." Kelly bit her lip while she decided on something to say.

"Just say it," Mac rolled his eyes.

"I can't decide what to say," she answered a glint in her eye that told him full well that she could decide.

"Really?" Flack asked incredulously. "All I can say is at least it's not the Brooklyn Bridge."

"Let me finish. I can't decide between two. Halleluiah, it's raining men or that rain dance actually worked," Kelly laughed again.

"I think you weren't like this for about a week after I first hired you," Mac said. "If that much." Kelly smirked.

"You really have no idea how happy you just made me. It has almost let me forget about being waken up at two in the morning," she was still laughing at him being soaking wet.

"Yeah, yeah enjoy it while it lasts," Mac told her. She gave him a look that told him that she would do exactly that.

"Well, I guess we should go back to department, but before I take this guy there, that's what she said, Mac," Flack laughed with Kelly.

"That was actually a really good one," Kelly told him. "But totally sick and twisted and something I would say."

………………………………………………………………………..

"A bit cold?" Kelly mocked as Mac came back from the locker room with a fresh change of clothes on. His hair was still wet. He gave her a look.

"What's that about?" Danny asked.

"Nothing," Mac said quickly.

"Nothing?"

"If nothing means tripping and falling into the river, then, yeah, nothing," Kelly tried to hide her laugh by putting her hand over her mouth, but she failed miserably. Mac gave her another look, and she found herself laughing harder. "I'm sorry. It was hilarious."

"I'm a little hurt that you didn't tell me this earlier," Danny said, laughing at Mac's expense.

………………………………………………………………………….

"Hey, want a coffee?" Stella asked, sitting by her husband. He took it gratefully. "You're getting a lot of crap from Kelly, Danny, and Flack, aren't you?" He nodded keeping quiet. He could say several things about each of them, but he had too much of a conscience to do that. Plus, they could do a good enough job of embarrassing themselves without him.

"At least I'm dry now," he mumbled taking a sip of the coffee as he watched Lindsay and Danny talking with the occasional comment from Hawkes and Kelly. He could only imagine what they were saying. There was a point where they were going to say what they were going to say, and he couldn't stop that. Though they could be talking about sports, but the chances of that were slim or nonexistent.

…………………………………………………………………………

"What?! I didn't even say anything this time," Kelly put her hands up in defense at the look she got from Mac when she started laughing spontaneously after the suspect had been interrogated.

"I don't want to hear it"

"Oh, just stop being so serious all the time. It's, well, I don't know. I think that you should just lighten up," Kelly replied.

"Just stop before you start," Mac answered. She decided to actually listen to him. Well, she did listen to him, but most of the time she didn't the first time or waited just to annoy him. It was something she was good at and enjoyed. She was never going to let him live this one down. It would just be a very subtle reminder.

…………………………………………………………………………

"Okay, so this insane competition is over, and we are now all on the same page. Lindsay, did you find the murder weapon when you searched the suspect's house with Sheldon?" Mac asked.

"Well, she's testing the gun right now," Hawkes answered for her. "So it might not be the murder weapon."

"Then we have to match it to your case," Kelly mentioned.

"Yes, I know," Mac was obviously now flustered. Kelly was trying hard not to smile and failing miserably.

…………………………………………………………………………….

"Don't fall in," Kelly said as she and Mac walked to the warehouse in search of a missing piece of evidence. Their flashlights made trails before them.

"Real funny," he answered, rolling his eyes.

"Wait, why am I searching with you at night? Things happen when we work together," she told him.

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you're scared of the dark," he said, almost taunting her.

"Nope, just concerned because one of these days I won't be able to save you," she replied.

"Okay, the last time you got into the trouble, and I had to save you," he reminded her.

"Yes, great job. You missed the suspect and hit me," she said.

"Just try and concentrate on the task at hand," Mac ordered. "Don't even dare say what you are about to say." Kelly smirked as she was about to make a joke that was rather perverted.

"Fine. So where do we start looking?" she asked, her voice echoing through the warehouse. Mac stopped.

"Did you hear that?" he asked. She stopped next to him. Her flashlight darted to and fro in the warehouse in the possibility that Mac was right. Then again, he was rarely wrong. She, on the other hand, had been wrong several times that day. Just not work related things.

"My voice echoed. That's all," she answered, wishing that it wasn't night.

"No, not that. I thought I heard something," he replied.

"That's funny. I really don't believe you, and I am starting to feel like I'm in a horror movie," she told him. Then she heard it too. She switched her flashlight into her other hand as her right hand took her gun out of its holster. Mac did the same. Their flashlights skirted across the room, desperate to find an object to focus on.

"Just stay close," like there was anything else she was going to do.

"Nope, I'm just going to go off on my own," Kelly answered sarcastically. Mac shot a look at her. She had a kind of smug look on her face. It wasn't a subtle way of showing how she was very prideful of her sarcasm. Mac rolled his eyes at her smug complexion.

"Quiet!" Finally, they saw a rat scurrying across the shelves of paint.

"We were scared of a rat?"

"Kelly, if I remember correctly, I was not the scared one," he told her as she rolled her eyes. "Lighten up remember. How are you going to learn how to swim if I don't take away your floaters and throw you into shark infested waters?" Kelly scoffed at this. "You can't just make fun of people and tell them to take it. You have to be able to have a taste of your own medicine." Kelly shook her head.

"I can swim, but medicine is a horse of another color. Yes, I do know that I'm marrying a doctor, and I do see the irony. This whole rat thing never happened by the way," Kelly said stepping away from her boss trying to not be quite as shaken. Kelly Higgins was not one that got scared. At least, her friends thought that. She always hated when people tried to scare her, and normally they were successful. She visibly shook it off. Mac decided to be the better person and not mention what happened again, something that she would never do.

"What never happened?" Mac asked. He holstered his piece and switched the flashlight into his right hand as he examined the place where the rat had sprinted across.

"Exactly," Kelly answered. She went over to where they saw the rat running on a hunch. Plus, it was the only place she thought to start. She looked at a can of paint. There was a blood smear on it.

"I think you found what we were looking for," Mac said, taking gloves out of his suit pocket and putting them on. He picked up the can of paint. "I think there might be a print on it. This might explain Ryan's crescent shaped cut on his arm. I bet the victim fought back and in the struggle the blood smeared. We need to get it back to the lab for DNA analysis."

"Yep, whatever," Kelly said, finally holstering her gun but leaving it unclipped. There was just something about working at that place with him. Things always seemed to just go wrong, and they always would. If not that night and if not that moment, then the next case most definitely.

………………………………………………………………………..

"Okay, Kells, you came into the lab with your holster unclipped, why?" Danny asked.

"No reason," Kelly said much like Mac had said earlier.

"No reason?" Danny asked.

"If no reason means getting freaked out over a rat, then, yeah, nothing," Mac decided against keeping this one quiet.

"You know what if you had never said what you said, I would have never gotten 'freaked out' in there," Kelly replied.

"Another reason we don't like you two working together. This happens, and we have no earthly idea what 'this' is," Flack told them. They shrugged, not really caring. They would end up working together again. They always would, and then something would always happen. It was just the way things were. And there was nothing they could do about it. Or anyone else for that matter.

**After Notes: Well, there it is. I hope that was funny. And for 'said author' did you see all those references? They weren't subtle hints at all. I don't think I could have been any more obvious. Well, I could've asked to quote, but it didn't exactly work. I would like to thank my reviewers: EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Bonasera, GregRox, luf100, Mrs. Donald Flack Jr., and Blue Shadowdancer(said author)! They rock! (The mask of who said author is has been revealed!) Hope you have a fantastic day! :D**


	57. The One Where Things Aren't As They Seem

**Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Similar to the What If one without the Mac/Kelly crap. I got this idea while walking outside in the mountains. What if you weren't who you were? You have different jobs, and you can't remember your old co-workers. It's something along those lines. Also Ward Lawson returns! And it's a slight crossover with House M.D. because who doesn't love that show? Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Where Things Aren't As They Seem**

"Morning, Mac," Kelly greeted her boss at the crime scene. She then stopped cold in her steps. "Morning, Lawson." The words weren't cheery as her other greeting had been. They were as cold as snow which contrasted this summer heat. The homicide detective looked up at her.

"Well, if it isn't the flirt herself," he greeted back. The air was filled with tension.

"Funny, but at least I have a job. What do you do? Write stuff down? Oh no, my pen broke!" she mocked. Mac could tell that this wasn't going anywhere good.

"You two stop it now! Now, Detective Lawson, if you can't leave my CSI be, then we have a problem, and, Kelly, wipe that smug look off your face," Mac ordered. The two of them glared, but Kelly got to work with what she deemed as more important work. She would never have made fun if it was Flack or Angell working with her, but she didn't like this detective. In fact, he irritated her so much that she was ready to take a swing at him again. "Kelly, do you hear that?"

"Seriously? You have got to be kidding me," she took off her latex gloves and threw them in her kit. Mac took his gloves off more quietly and put them in his kit. They drew their weapons as did Lawson. The three of them walked out of the room and down the hall where they heard the noise.

……………………………………………………………………..

Kelly slammed down the snooze button on her alarm. She woke up and went through her morning routine. Putting on her scrubs, she completed her morning routine and left for Princeton Plainsboro Hospital. She wasn't looking forward to seeing her boss, House. She could match his sarcasm, but he had this Socratic method of teaching that she didn't like. She slammed down on the brakes as traffic came to a stop. She swore and honked her horn. Dr. Kelly Higgins hated being late to work. She loved her job, hated being late to it, hated some of her coworkers, hated her boss, and loved the reward of saving lives. But something felt like it was missing. None of her coworkers or friends knew her past. They laughed at her because she seemed to have a large sum of money. It wasn't too big. It was just a carefully invested inheritance. But that wasn't relevant. She hit the dashboard with her fist. Too top everything off, it was snowing. Not only snowing, but it was a blizzard. She hurried inside to the comfort of the hospital.

"You're late," House told her. Chase, Cameron, and Foreman were already looking at a case file. Kelly joined her coworkers, scowling.

"Does it actually matter?" she asked.

"This is a teaching hospital. I'm supposed to be teaching you," he answered.

"Whatever, Gregory," she mumbled, fearing what would happen if he heard her.

"Our patient's name is Patrick Warren," Foreman filled her in. They all, with the exception of Kelly, put in hypotheses as to what it could be which House shot down cruelly, but that wasn't a surprise. The patient also had CIPA which meant that he couldn't feel pain; rather he was insensitive to pain.

"Kelly, listen," House snapped her out of her daze. "How are you supposed to learn how to swim if I don't take away your floaters and throw you into shark infested waters?" That sounded familiar. Who told her that? Why did she think she had heard that before? She was working on that.

"A B12 deficiency," she said thinking of the symptoms.

"Test to see," House told her. She took the file and left to run the tests. She liked working in the lab best. It felt so comfortable to her, like she belonged there. While she was running the tests, she thought back to what House said. Why did she think the name was like Matt or Mac? _Mac. Mac Taylor said that to me. But who is he? Why do I know his name? _This went to the back of her mind as she printed the results. Positive. She was right. Now to rub it in House's face.

……………………………………………………………………………….

It was after shift. She was still on call though. She always seemed to be. She went to the local café to get a coffee. She then thought about how she knew Mac Taylor. Maybe she had seen his name on a billboard or in a newspaper ad but where? She sipped her latte and watched the crowd. It was something she had always done but without a good reason. It just seemed right to do, like she had done it before for a good reason. She looked out the window at the New Jersey streets. They were covered in snow. This café was just a few blocks from the hospital. Getting up, she put a tip down on the table and walked off. She was focused on the ground, just thinking of things, and accidently bumped into someone. His coffee spilled all over himself and over her. She gave her apology and almost went on her way back to the hospital. She stopped, realizing that she didn't need to go back. Plus, she felt a little guilty for spilling coffee on the stranger.

"Here, let me buy you another cup of coffee," she offered.

"You really don't have to do that," he insisted.

"But I will. It's just been one of those days. Looks like you've had one too," she rambled.

"Okay, okay, but on one condition," the man told her.

"Name it"

"What's your name?"

"Well as you can see from my scrubs I'm a doctor. But I'm Kelly Higgins. Whatever you want to call me," she told him. "And yours?"

"Danny Messer," he answered. She noticed how thick his accent was.

"New Yorker? What brings you down to Jersey?" she asked her Texan accent coming through.

"I'm visiting my brother Louie. They moved him from New York to here. He's comatose," he only told her that because she was a doctor.

"Room 227?" she asked. He nodded. "My boss, well, steals Louie's lunch sometimes." Danny chuckled.

"I've seen him," he replied. "What brings a Southern girl up here?"

"Just work," she laughed.

"What kind of doctor are you?"

"I specialized in orthopedic surgeries, but I changed to Diagnosis under Dr. House. He's brilliant, but obnoxious," she answered. He laughed.

"Yeah, sometimes I hate the boss man. Do you want to get a drink?" he asked. She blushed.

"I'm on call. The ER's understaffed tonight. Need all the help they can get," she told him. "But how about I give you my number, and you can call me."

"Okay," he said. She wrote down her number and gave it over to him. "Thanks, anyways I'm going to go visit my brother. I totally forgot why I even came."

"How about I take you there? I can get some over time hopefully," she smiled. They left the café and headed down the street through the snow. "So what do you do for a living?"

"I play baseball for the Mets. Well, I will," he told her.

"That's pretty cool. My brothers played baseball," she said. "Maybe they will be better with you on the team."

"So you're a baseball fan?"

"Yeah, I love the Texas Rangers. I'm from Texas," she explained. They headed up the elevator to the second floor. "Well, here we are. Talk to you again, Danny Messer." And with that she left him and his brother alone.

"Thanks, Kells," he told her. She turned around quickly. No one called her that. He was facing his brother though so she let him be. In a way, it seemed familiar. _Danny Messer is cute, but I feel like I know him._ She went down to the ER and tried for some over time. _Mac Taylor and now Danny Messer. What's going on?_

………………………………………………………………………...

A month passed by. Danny and Kelly had started hanging out more. He came down every week to visit his brother. They always went into that café where they met.

"How about you come and visit New York?" he asked. After a bit of debating, she agreed. He drove her up to the city. They debated baseball. They went to a cute little café called _Central Perk_ where they sat down on a comfortable couch and sipped coffee. They laughed like great friends do.

"Go ask that girl out," Kelly told him.

"No way," he was chickening out.

"Go!" she ordered. He got up sheepishly. Ten minutes later he returned with the woman.

"This is Lindsay Monroe," Danny introduced her to Kelly. They nodded. "This is Dr. Kelly Higgins."

"Nice to meet you," Kelly told her. "So, Lindsay, what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a fashion designer," she answered. Kelly nodded. She thought about what she was wearing. It was one of the few times she wasn't wearing scrubs. "So I live here in the city now. Where are you from?"

"Originally Texas but Jersey now," she said. "You?"

"Montana," Lindsay told her. _That seems familiar. Do I know someone from Montana?_ The three of them talked for a few more hours.

"Lindsay Monroe, it was good to meet you. I have to take my friend back to Jersey," Danny said.

"No, I'll catch a cab," Kelly answered. "You two stay and do whatever." _Mac Taylor, Danny Messer, and Lindsay Monroe. They seem nice. Of course, I still don't know who Mac Taylor is._

……………………………………………………………………………….

"Ugh! Stupid cabs!" Kelly cursed. She kept walking.

"Need some help?" a man asked. Kelly tensed up. "No, I swear I won't do anything. My name's Don Flack. Yours?" Kelly decided to take a chance.

"_Doctor_ Kelly Higgins," she said emphasizing the doctor. He nodded.

"I own a night club. It's called Fury," he told her. That club name sounded so familiar, and she couldn't put her finger on it. "Where do you live?"

"Jersey," she answered. He nodded.

"Let me call you a cab," he whistled at a cab which stopped.

"Thanks, anything I can do for you?"

"Your number," he replied. She found a napkin in her person and wrote her number down. She gave it to him smiling. He opened the door for her and then closed it for her. _Why do they all seem familiar? Flack, Don Flack. _

"_You ain't no James Bond"_

"_You ain't no Jennifer Garner"_

_I used to work with him. And Danny and Lindsay and Mac. Who else? Stella Bonasera and Sheldon Hawkes and Jessica Angell. Hawkes!_ Her heart sank. As soon as she got home which seemed like an eternity, she researched them. Stella was living in Miami. Jennifer was married to Flack. _Never thought that would happen._ Hawkes was a CEO of a large corporation in New York. Mac was an architect in Jersey. That was something she didn't expect. She took some time to think about what they did. She thought about how she felt most at home in the lab at the hospital. She hated doctors. She absolutely despised them. But she was a doctor. Why, she had no idea. She liked the puzzles most. That's what attracted her to the job with House. She racked her brain, trying to find faces for the names. Memories more like dreams came to her. An explosion. A concussion. A hostage situation. Two weddings. One proposal. Asking Mac to give her away at her wedding. Someone else had to remember this. She couldn't be the only one.

……………………………………………………………………………

"Mac?" Kelly asked. She didn't expect to see him at the café she used. He turned, not recognizing her voice. _Great, he doesn't even know me._ She walked over to him. "Look, you don't know me, and this may sound weird, but I know you. It's complicated." He acknowledged her, but he didn't believe her.

"Hmm, how about we go for a walk then?" he asked, obviously confused. She agreed and left a tip at her table as she always did. They walked outside. "Talk." It wasn't a suggestion. It was an order. Kelly thought about when he said the same before he was kidnapped and held hostage. When she told him what had happened in her past. It was that time when she had trusted him more than anyone else. It was then that she trusted him more than her boyfriend, now fiancé. It was then that they took a break. She breathed deeply.

"First, I should introduce myself. Doctor Kelly Higgins. You're Mac Taylor. Now that we're introduced, I can talk to you. Let's see. First, you know pretty much everything about me. You are my confidante and my friend. You are also my supervisor, Mac. I know you don't believe me, but I'm not lying," he saw the truth in her eyes, but he couldn't believe her. It was pretty outrageous that someone who he'd never met knew that much.

"I can't believe you," he said just looking her in the eyes. His green eyes contrasted with her brown eyes.

"I'm not crazy. You are quiet. You don't like to be in the center of attention. Taciturn, I guess. You have a rather large conscience. I've never heard you talk about someone negatively," she saw him look away, not believing her. "Your wife."

"What about her?"

"She died in 9/11, Mac. You actually never told me that, but Stella did," she replied. Maybe that would get through to him.

"Stella?"

"Bonasera, you worked together."

"I never worked with someone named Stella Bonasera," Mac replied. Kelly let out a large sigh. "Look, Miss Higgins, it's been nice to talk to you. I think you might need some help though." He walked away. Kelly stopped for a moment.

"I can't catch up to you," she yelled. He turned around, again confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"An explosion, I punctured my lung," she told him. "Anyways now you want to know. You can't just not know the answer, Mac. It's just you."

"I don't even know you," he told her.

"Yes, you do," she answered. "Don't you remember anything? I didn't. Not until I met Don Flack. We came into work wasted one day. He's not a doctor though. You were my supervisor. Don't you remember?"

"I remember two of my employees, Sydney and James, coming in wasted," Mac answered. Kelly had a thought. _Sydney Bristow and James Bond. Mac always said that I wasn't a Jennifer Garner, and Flack wasn't a James Bond. It's a start._

"Mac, you have to know that I'm not lying. I know that I'm telling the truth. Whenever I worked with you, I would get hurt. The bomb explosion. I got a lung punctured. The hostage situation, we still have scars on our wrists. I got knocked out," Kelly said. Mac rolled his eyes.

"You're wasting my time. I have a client to meet with," he walked away.

"Wait, just a minute. I have a question for you," she told him. He kept walking. She jogged to keep up with him. She clutched her chest as it hurt in the cold.

"What?" he turned around harshly. She stopped.

"Am I right about you?"

"I don't even know you"

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Danny, how's Lindsay?" Kelly asked. She wondered how long she would be stuck in this. It couldn't be real. Could it?

"Awesome," he answered. "What's up with you? You're so quiet."

"I tried to convince someone of something, and he won't believe me. I know that it sounds irrational and outrageous, but I know him. He doesn't remember me," she replied.

"Oh, what were you trying to talk to him about?"

"Well, it sounds weird, but we used to work together. And by we I mean you, me, Mac who I was talking to, Flack, and Lindsay. I know that sounds weird, but remember how I told you that you and Flack would hit it off? That's how I knew," she explained.

"Oh, that almost makes sense," he told her.

"You don't have to believe me"

"I might believe you. You seemed familiar when I met you," he said truthfully.

"Don't you remember the others then?"

"Who?"

"Lindsay, Flack, Mac, Stella, and Hawkes," she told him.

"Well, I haven't thought about it," he replied.

"Well, think about it," she laughed. It was quiet for a little while.

"You and Mac at Sullivan's. I remember that," Danny laughed.

"It never happened," Kelly wasn't smiling. Danny chuckled.

"Thirty seconds"

"If you know what's good for you, shut up," Kelly threatened.

"No, it's fine. Until he got your gum in his mouth," he was still laughing.

"You would remember that," she told him.

"No, I remember other things. You and Flack came in wasted. The bomb, the hostage situation, and every time you would come back from a scene with Mac," he answered. "He doesn't believe any of this, does he?"

"No"

"Did you show him your wrists?"

"Well, that's the thing. My scars are gone," she showed him her now unblemished wrists.

"What does he do now?" his mind was working something out.

"Architect," Kelly couldn't suppress a chuckle at that.

"Didn't see that coming," Danny answered. "It's just hard to believe that you aren't telling the truth. Maybe we know each other too well."

"Yeah, but it's just frustrating," Kelly told him. "But I still haven't talked to Hawkes. If I do call and I get through, I don't think the way to go is to tell him that we're getting married."

"You might want to avoid that," Danny laughed. "Isn't that Mac over there?"

"You want to talk to him? Seriously, he must be the most hard headed guy I've ever… oh hello Mac," she greeted him as he walked over.

"I wanted to answer your question," he told her. "You were right about me."

"Well, I try," now Kelly was the one confused.

"You were right. I remember something, but not you exactly," he said. "Stella."

"Okay," Kelly answered. "And you came to this how?"

"I just listened to what you said. It started to make sense"

"I can't blame that logic. Mac, this is," she started.

"Danny Messer. I know. I remember," Mac told her.

"And you can't remember me?"

"Beggars can't be choosers," he replied.

"Well, we were just talking about something I remember," Danny replied. Kelly glared. "Sullivan's."

"I don't remember that," Mac lied.

"Funny, neither do I," Kelly said. Danny laughed at the two of them.

"You two admit that you flirt but deny that you kissed?" Danny asked.

…………………………………………………………………………..

"Come on, Kelly, get up," Mac said kneeling over her. He knew they shouldn't have worked together. Ward Lawson was on the other side of her. "Hawkes might just kill me for this happening."

"It wasn't your fault. It was mine," Lawson took the blame.

"Mac, I still blame you," Kelly mumbled.

"Beggars can't be choosers," he replied. She sat up, remembering her dream. He said the same exact thing there.

"What happened?"

"You got knocked out _again_," Mac answered.

"Really?" she said sarcastically.

"Can you get up?" he asked.

"Probably, I mean I get up, at what, two in the morning when you call," she spat. Mac offered her a hand up. She took it. He half pulled her up. She half jumped up.

"My head is killing me," she mumbled.

"Probably," Lawson told her. "I mean you went down like a sack of bricks."

"You want to know how fast you'll go down?" Kelly asked about to lunge forward. She didn't get anywhere for Mac had an iron clad grip on her arm.

"You two need to stop it!" he ordered. The two of them glared at each other, but Mac let go of Kelly, trusting that she wouldn't do anything stupid. That trust was, for once, well placed.

"Fine," Kelly said, walking off slowly. "How long was I out?"

"Ten minutes," Mac answered.

"So should I get back to work?"

"Your choice"

**After Notes: Well, I hope that was funny. Yes, House actually said that shark line in the show. I borrowed it. It's good to be back! Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers because most have reviewed every single one of these one shots. They deserve a round of applause. Anyways thank you, lily moonlight, Bonasera, GregRox, EverythingIsConnected, and Blue Shadowdancer! They are so awesome. I can't believe this is my 57****th**** one shot. Cool, eh? Hope you have a great day! :D**


	58. The One Where Kelly And Mac Are Cursed

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY nor do I pretend to. I do not own the FRIENDS storylines though I don't think I've written one based off FRIENDS. Though The One With All The Kissing would be fun to write one on if I still had a couple that was secret. Though I could do a blast from the past. **

**Notes: I'm glad y'all liked that last one. I thought I ought to continue Mac and Kelly's curse. I owe the title to Blue Shadowdancer (I knew you were joking. After all, you wouldn't change ships on me, would you?) from her last review! And for lily moonlight (I apologize for not review replying. It wouldn't let me), he returns in this one too! But I don't know if he's very central. You'll just have to see. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Where Kelly And Mac Are Cursed**

Sure waking up was and is a good thing. But for Kelly and Mac, it wasn't that kind of day. Of course, neither was too thrilled about working together, but that wasn't exactly out of the norm. To make matters worse for Kelly, Ward Lawson was the homicide detective. Well, it didn't make matters any better for Mac either who was constantly playing peacemaker between the two of them.

"Kelly, I think you've brought annoying to a new level, but then you, Lawson, bring it higher," Mac told them, frustrated.

"Well, I don't think you two need me. I'm going to go get breakfast," Lawson told them. Kelly was about to say that things always went wrong when the two of them worked together, but he had already left. She and Mac just kind of looked at each other and absentmindedly rested a hand on their holsters.

"No way anything will happen this time," Kelly told him, hoping she was right. He looked at her and shook his head.

"Don't jinx this," he told her. "Let's just keep working on the scene." Ten minutes passed. Nothing. Another ten minutes. Nothing. This was killing the two CSIs. They knew something would happen. It always did. A third set of ten minutes passed. Nothing. Then something. Shuffling. The two CSIs automatically took off their gloves and drew their weapons.

"Well, as long as I'm not knocked out," she said. He just kind of gave her a look.

"No, you aren't going to be knocked out, and we aren't going to be taken hostage this time"

……………………………………………………………….

"Hey Flack," Lawson walked into the diner that most of the cops in that precinct used.

"Lawson, don't you have a scene?" Flack was surprised to see him, to say the least.

"Yeah, I ditched the _Geek Squad _back there," he laughed at his own joke.

"Who?"

"Um… Taylor and then that CSI we played basketball with," he answered.

"You left Kelly and Mac at a scene?!" Flack asked outraged.

"Yeah, why?"

"Do you not listen to me ever? You are such an idiot!" Flack told him.

"Well, what's wrong? They are like three blocks away," he explained.

"You idiot! We have to get to the scene," he answered, encouraging him in the right direction. More like pushing, but that's what Flack called it. He couldn't believe the stupidity of this guy. Finally, they got to the scene. "Kells? Mac?" He called after them again and again. No answer. He let out a sigh of frustration. Flack opened his cell and called Danny and Lindsay. No need to get everyone in on this at that time.

"What's this?" Lawson asked, pointing at the floor.

"Probably blood and saliva," Flack answered, remembering what the CSIs had taught him over the years.

"This is my fault, isn't it?"

"You think? I told you to never leave them alone. Did you think I was joking that those two could find more trouble than you would know?" Flack didn't hide his absolute anger, no, his searing rage.

……………………………………………………………………..

Something she had breathed in wasn't agreeing with her lungs. She coughed violently, hoping that she wouldn't possibly reopen the cut in her lung. Sure it wasn't recently, but she really didn't know about medicine. That was Hawkes' thing, not hers. Too bad she couldn't quit coughing. She ignored the cold concrete that she felt on her cheek and her hands bound behind her back.

"Quiet!" she felt something had hit her ribs. She knew it was her abductor's shoe. She started coughing more violently.

"Stop! You'll kill her," Mac told the guy which didn't work, but that wasn't a surprise. Mac was trying to save her, not that he was doing a great job. He knew what would happen if her scar tore or her lung was punctured again. But she wouldn't admit to being in pain. No, she would rather suffer in agony alone. That was something the two of them shared, both were private people. As different as they were, they shared several of the same qualities. Stubborn but loyal. Pain in the butt, mainly Kelly yet Mac had his share of times, but then again they were both fierce and loyal friends. Can't find anyone to trust more. Sure if it's not personal or a secret, Kelly will tell, but she knows when to keep quiet. The man walked away from the two of them. Finally, her coughing stopped, leaving her throat aching.

"You didn't have to even try that," Kelly rasped. Mac heard her roll over and try to sit up.

"Look, you're like a younger sister to me," he told her. "And as annoying as you are, you're still family. Family protects." He could tell she, of all people, understood that.

"Yeah, I know, and I know that my wedding is, well, I can't remember at the moment, but thank you again. I don't know why you are even doing that for me," she whispered leaning against him as he leaned against her.

"I don't know. It gives me an excuse to get mad at Sheldon if he messes up. In the lab, and I might just kill both of you if you two have another fight," he threatened. "Maybe I'll get to use that whole gun cleaning thing." She smiled.

"Doesn't scare him anymore. I used to do it if I was unhappy with him or just couldn't concentrate," she was still smiling. "Mac, do you ever regret getting married?"

"Never," he told her without having to think. "It's okay to be nervous. I was nervous."

"Fearless leader of the lab, Mac Taylor, was nervous?" she laughed. He smiled. "Uh oh, Voldemort's coming back."

…………………………………………………………………………

"So there doesn't appear to be a struggle. I mean it's hard to tell from the actual scene," Lindsay told Flack and Lawson. "Mac and Kelly?" Flack nodded. She turned to Lawson. "You let them work a scene alone?" Lawson looked a little sheepish. "We probably need to tell Stella and Hawkes that they're missing. By we I mean you, Flack."

"Me? What did I ever do to you? It wasn't my fault"

"Well, someone has to tell, and I'm terrible at that. Plus, Kelly and Hawkes are getting married soon so he will not be happy. And Stella and Mac are married. Lawson, this is your fault so good luck," Lindsay decided.

………………………………………………………………………………

"Voldemort?" Mac asked when the man left.

"Harry Potter's enemy. The most evil wizard in the history of wizardry," she explained. "It's only fitting."

"I'm sorry"

"For what?"

"For getting you and myself into this"

"It's not your fault," she assured him. "It's Lawson's. Anyway, if I didn't expect this, I wouldn't make a good CSI or be able to work with you." He nodded but didn't assign blame. She yawned which irritated her throat and sent her into another fit of coughs. Mac flinched at the peak of the coughs. But as soon as they started, they stopped. "I think I'm going to try to sleep. Wake me up if you want to switch off." Five minutes later she found herself enjoying a dream. Mac sat there thinking of any way to get out of the situation. But there they were with some sort of smart criminals who used zip ties which were, of course, cutting into their wrists. _I'm going to get you out of here. This is my fault. Why does this happen to us?_ He felt her head drop onto his shoulder as it had done on that plane ride home from Miami. Then he dreaded what he saw next. He nudged Kelly awake with his shoulder.

"Voldemort," he warned. She nodded.

"What do you even want with us?" she rasped. Mac wanted to tell her to shut up, but he didn't have a chance.

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Adam, what do you have?"

"Well, it was chloroform," he told Lindsay. "I got this done fast without the El Rata Del Rio twins."

"Did you just say 'The Rat of the River'?" Lindsay asked.

"It's all I know in Spanish," he explained. "Anyway, that's all I have. Sorry."

"It's okay, Adam. Don't know how much I want them back anyway. And if you watch now, Lawson has to tell Hawkes and Stella," Lindsay smiled.

………………………………………………………………………………………

"You should have told us earlier," Hawkes said rather angrily. That didn't even come close to how angry he was at this careless detective. Stella hadn't said anything nor was she about to. If she did open her mouth, several explicit words would have come out.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

"I'm _what_, Mac?" she asked as soon as Voldemort left.

"You know I was just trying to save you, and it worked," he whispered back.

"But still, _that_? And what happens when he finds out that I'm not?" she questioned.

"Well, he won't unless you tell him," Mac insisted. "And don't even pretend that you aren't in pain, Kelly. I know he cracked your rib." He wasn't just going to let the coughing slide after the explosion.

"Well, aren't you clever, but I'm _fine_," she stressed. She knew he was giving her a look even though she couldn't see him.

"Okay, but it must be so _painful_ having a cracked rib," Mac kept telling her so that was all she could think of and admit that she was in pain. "And it must be terrible knowing that it could be avoided if you had said nothing to him." Kelly, of course, only thought of the pain, but she wouldn't give Mac the satisfaction of knowing that. She was too prideful.

"If you have a point, _make _it," Kelly spat literally. She did spit out some blood. "Eureka!"

"What the heck?" Mac asked.

"I know how to get out of these zip ties," Kelly whispered back. She brought her hands down and around her legs so they were in front of her body. "Here just do the same." And he did, questioning her though. "Hands, Mac. I need your hands." They were now facing each other. She definitely had taken the brunt of their captor's anger. He let her play with the binds on his wrists. She took the line sticking out of it and bent it into the tiny box. She then was able to loosen it enough that he was able to take his hands out. "Now use that zip tie to get me out." She felt him fumble with his newly released hands. She winced as he accidently tightened it. He mumbled an apology and loosened it so her hands were finally free. "Thank you." She winced when she saw her wrists and his.

"Where do you think you two are going?" _You have got to be kidding me? Seriously, just when I got to be the hero for once._ She turned around and faced the voice. Mac was already staring intently at the man waiting for him to make a move. "On the ground. Now!" They had no choice. He had an M16. They slowly got down on the ground, face down. "Hands on the back of your head." Again, they had no choice. Kelly groaned as her ribs were killing her, maybe even literally. They looked at each other. This wasn't the way they wanted to die. Not next to each other. Not like that. Mac glanced up and came face to face with the barrel of the gun. It was Kelly, though, who made the next move. She used a similar move to the one she used on Danny in that snowball fight. She hooked the guy's leg pulling him down. The gun went sliding across the floor. Kelly dove for it as Voldemort tackled the now risen Mac. Kelly picked up the automatic weapon and aimed. She didn't fire though as she could have hit Mac. Not until she had a clear shot at Voldemort did she fire. A large thud. She dropped her weapon and pushed the deceased thug away from Mac. Kelly was expecting Mac to be fine. After all, he was their fearless leader. She saw blood coming from his chest. She knelt beside him and felt his neck for a pulse. But it was hard to look for something that wasn't there.

**After Notes: Don't kill me! Please, don't kill me! It was an accident! My fingers have minds of their own. I'm sorry. I was talking to someone, and I thought that it should be Kelly who doesn't almost get killed this time.**** Please review! Don't ride this one off because of that cliffie. I went to CLA. I swear I did. Blue Shadowdancer and lily moonlight will vouch for me, hopefully. I would like to thank my reviewers: Blue Shadowdancer, Bonasera, lily moonlight (again sorry that I couldn't review), and GregRox (you crazy TaH shipper)! Hope you have a fantastic day! So should I just leave you with that cliffhanger? :D**


	59. The One With The Shock Value

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines, maybe someday. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: That was pretty mean, eh? Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Shock Value**

_I've killed him. Oh my gosh, I've killed him. Mac! Come on! You can't have died. You just can't have._ She had dropped to her knees, tears rolling down her face. _Mac, you can't leave us. What about Stella? What about the team? What about me?_ She couldn't bear to think what would happen if he really was dead. It was her fault. She shot him. She killed him. It was _her_. With one hand, she put pressure on his chest wound. The other was desperately trying to find a pulse. Nothing . It had been two minutes. She needed to call it in. She had to accept that he wasn't coming back. And that was something she couldn't do.

…………………………………………………………….

"We got a hit on them. A 911 call," Danny said. He played the call for the others.

"_We need a bus and the ME's van. We might have two dead bodies," Kelly gasped into the phone. The call ended._

"That's Kelly," Flack stated, but it didn't need to be done. A possibility of two dead bodies. Who was dying? Mac?

"Hawkes and Stella, I think it's best for you two to go to the hospital," Lindsay finally managed to get out. "That's not a suggestion."

"Lindsay, Danny, you two with me," Flack signaled, leaving the other two speechless.

………………………………………………………………….

It was _his_ blood on her hands. Literally and metaphorically. It was _his_ blood on that phone she used to call this in. It was _his_ blood on her shirt. It was _his_ blood all over her body. It was _his_ blood pooling on the concrete. And it was _his_ blood that wouldn't stop flowing. She heard the sirens in the distance. She wasn't able to do anymore for her fallen boss. She didn't accept that. Nor did she want to. She was suddenly sickened by the sight before her. What had happened by _her_ hands. She felt more tears roll down her cheeks until her tear ducts were dry. All that blood. This didn't ever affect her until now. _Focus, Kelly. Now's your time to play hero. Don't screw this up!_ _You wouldn't let him die after all he's done for you, would you?_ It was the tiny voice in her head motivating her. She had to ignore the other one telling her that he was dead. She wiped the sweat off her brow with a cleaner part of her sleeve. "Don't you die on me, Mac, don't you die!" Sure, it was only a whisper, but she was convinced that he heard her. But there was nothing, still. The sirens were getting closer. It had been seven minutes then. Seven minutes where he was gone. She had no power over bringing him back. That was for the paramedics. A fit of coughs. Her coughs. No, she wouldn't let them near her until they fixed Mac up. Determined to do what she could as if he was alive, Kelly put as much pressure on the gunshot wound as she could, using both hands. What she needed to do was cauterize it.

"Miss, are you hurt?"

"No, but he is. He stopped breathing eight minutes ago. His heart stopped. He has a gunshot wound to the chest," she told them still applying pressure to the wound. She wasn't about to leave him after what she did.

"Okay, I need you to step away from him," the paramedics told her.

"Look, I'm not leaving him. I shot him," she whispered, but she had no choice. One of the paramedics literally dragged her away.

"We're going to take him to Angel of Mercy. You can see him there," she was told.

"No, I'm not leaving him," Kelly was fixed on her decision. There was no arguing with her then. They let her ride in the ambulance as they tried to bring him back. She had a tight grip on his unresponsive hand, crushing it. "Come on, Mac. Don't leave us here." When they got to the hospital, he was ushered away. She was left standing there, not knowing if he was going to make it or not. Her heart sunk. This was her fault.

………………………………………………………………………………

"Miss, we need to take X-Rays," the doctor told her.

"Don't touch me!" Danny and Flack looked at each other. Kelly was never an easy person if her mind was made up. "I need to know how he's doing."

"He's in surgery," Flack answered.

"Until he's out, you don't touch me," Kelly told them adamantly.

"Kells, you are hurt," Danny stated.

"Well, aren't you clever, but I'm _fine_," she replied, realizing that she had said the same thing to Mac. "Until I know he's okay, you stay away from me." There was no arguing to be done. They couldn't force her to get help.

"Okay, Kelly, but I have a question. What's with the loyalty?" Flack asked.

"It's my fault," she answered.

"We already told you that it wasn't," Danny replied confused. They just didn't get it.

"Kelly!" Hawkes came into the room.

"How is he?" she asked knowing that he wouldn't lie to her.

"He's in surgery. The doctors think he'll make it. They know what they're doing," he answered. "Are you okay?" He was more focused on her.

"I'm _fine_, okay?" she told him, letting harshness enter her voice.

"Make sure she's checked out because she's lying," Hawkes told the doctor. "I'm guessing she has another punctured lung by the way she's breathing and coughing. And when she gets defensive like this, you know she's hurt. Do what you must." The other doctor nodded.

…………………………………………………………………………..

They all stood in the waiting room. Kelly had point blank refused to be checked out until she knew Mac was fine even though they all saw that she was coughing up blood. No one could convince her otherwise. She actually punched a male nurse who had come to close to her. He had to ice his eye after that. Everyone was wondering why she was so loyal. Normalcy did not allow her to feel loyalty beyond the call of duty to Mac. This was way beyond.

"Kelly, why don't you just tell us what happened?" Lindsay asked.

"You don't want to know"

"Yes, I for one do," Stella told her. That was the first time she had spoken since she had gotten to the hospital.

"It was my fault"

"Yes, you keep saying that," Flack told her.

"It was my fault what happened. I shot him," Kelly said, feeling hot tears coming down her face again. She suddenly had another fit of coughs. The others looked at each other. They didn't know how to react to that. They didn't look at her again. It, her shooting Mac, caused a huge break between her and the rest of the team.

"I came as soon as I could," Angell walked in to see the team grouped together with the exception of Kelly. She was in the corner, her knees pulled up to her chest. "What in the world?" Flack gave her a look telling her not to go over there. "What happened?"

"She blames herself," Hawkes answered, not telling the entire truth.

"There wasn't anything she could do, right?" Jessica asked. But no one answered her. Kelly still had to give her statement. Just then, the elevator doors opened and another detective walked out. He walked up to the group.

"Where's Detective Kelly Catherine Higgins?" he asked. Danny and Flack hid smiles. _So that's her middle name. _

"She's over there," Hawkes answered. The detective nodded and walked over to the CSI. She looked up, wishing she didn't have to give the statement of what happened.

……………………………………………………………………………………

A few hours later, Kelly returned, her eyes bloodshot. The others looked at her. Stella, even though they did get along, had a look of contempt. Danny and Flack were torn on what to think. Hawkes felt terrible that he wasn't there for her. She had another fit of coughs. Hawkes took this chance and put his arm around her, trying to lead her away. She had to get checked out. He knew that.

"Stop," she told him. "I already told you that I wouldn't go until I knew that he's okay."

"You're going to get checked out. If I have to carry you, then I will," he told her. She finally consented.

………………………………………………………………………………………

"You're lucky. You only cracked a rib. You got hit pretty hard in the stomach and ruptured a vein so that's why you are still coughing up some blood. Normal, but I wouldn't exert yourself too much over the next few weeks," the doctor said after she had finally gotten cleaned up. Hawkes had brought some spare clothes as hers were going into evidence. He took her back up to the waiting room because she wouldn't stop fussing until he did. Before they got up there, he stopped her for a moment.

"What you did, it will _never_ change the way I feel about you. I just need for you to know that," he told her. She nodded. They walked into the waiting room in time to hear the surgeon tell them the news.

"He'll live. He is going to be bedridden for several weeks. Or at least he needs to be," the surgeon told them. The others wanted to laugh at that. _Good luck convincing him of that._ For the first time in a while, Kelly felt hopeful. Still, she was not welcomed back into the room. Finally, she was able to excuse herself without the others noticing. She wanted the guilt to go away. She knew this was what got her started on drinking in college, but she needed the pain to go away. Then, not later. She knew she should see a psychiatrist, but she would rather talk to Mac. Not that she would after this.

"Give me your strongest," she told Frankie, the bartender at Sullivan's.

"I don't know. I reserve that for special occasions," he told her.

"I had a rough day you could say," Kelly was trying to be vague.

"You want to talk about it. That stuff could kill you," Frankie replied.

"It keeps sounding better and better," she told him. He finally consented and gave her a glass to drink which she downed. She was on her third of the stuff when three familiar faces came in.

"Kells," Danny started. She ignored him as they had ignored her.

"Just listen, please. We know you must feel terrible right now," Hawkes told her.

"Must feel? You have no idea what that's like almost ending the life of someone you care about," she answered and then proceeded to finish her glass. Frankie went over and took her glass.

"Don't give her another one," Flack told Frankie. He nodded. "Come on. Let's get you home." It wasn't a choice. They ushered her out of there. Hawkes took over as he led his drunken fiancé home. At least she didn't do anything too stupid. They sank down on their couch. He held her as she sobbed, knowing what she had done. _What am I supposed to say to her? _He just held her tighter against his chest, not knowing what to say.

"Shhh, it's going to be okay," he was assuring himself and her. He wanted to believe that. He needed to believe that. After a while, it got quiet. He carried her into the bedroom and laid her on top of the covers, placing a blanket over her.

………………………………………………………………………

"Sitting here isn't going to help him," Flack told Stella who had kept a vigil watch over her husband.

"He would do the same," she answered. She squeezed his hand hoping for a response. She knew it wasn't coming. He had been comatose since the surgery. They said it was from the blood loss. That he should wake up any day.

"You know she feels terrible," Flack sat down next to her.

"It's her fault," Stella spat. Flack didn't know her to be so blatantly hateful to someone especially someone she worked with.

"She knows that. She hates herself for what happened. She won't forgive herself. I've never seen her so upset. I just thought you should know," Flack squeezed her shoulder. She looked at him.

"Why are you defending her?"

"Because she didn't mean to. They fight, but she was just trying to save his life, Stell. Honest to goodness, she literally wanted to just off it last night. And I don't know how she's going to get through the investigation. Internal Affairs, the whole deal," he told her.

"I don't really care"

"But Mac would," and with that he left her to her thoughts. It was true what he said. He would care that one of his CSIs was getting investigated.

"Mac, why can't you just wake up and take care of this?" Stella whispered. "What happened in there?" She squeezed his hand with both of hers.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"Detective Kelly Higgins, you are suspended pending this investigation," some IA guy told her. He had a Stetler-like personality. Well, he did to Kelly who had never met Stetler but had heard a lot about him from Caitie. "Your badge and your gun." She had been asked to come to the precinct for that. She handed them over, defeated. She hadn't slept in days. Well, she didn't have her gun so she gave him her badge. Her gun was in evidence from the hostage situation. It had been there a lot. "For your sake, I hope you're innocent." He hinted that she should leave the precinct. It was so embarrassing for her to walk through there with all the detectives she knew. It was embarrassing for her and for the lab. She felt ashamed.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

She decided to drop by the hospital. She knew that they had quite literally forced Stella to leave Mac because she was most fitting to run the lab. Just for that day as there was a large amount of case work to be done, and they needed all hands on deck. She had waited for the lunch hour to finish because she knew Stella would be there. She could tell that Stella had a large dislike for her; she hated her. The elevator doors opened, and she entered. Kelly tapped her foot impatiently as the elevator went up to the desired floor. Armed with her letter she would read, Kelly walked to the select room. She sat down in the chair next to the bed that Stella had occupied so many times.

"Well, I'm not the person you were probably expecting. They forced Stella to go to the lab, and I wouldn't be talking to you if they hadn't. She hates me, but I don't blame her. I would hate to think of what she would do to me if she knew I was here. It was an accident, Mac, I swear. I didn't mean to. I just saw an opportunity and took it. I was trying to save you, and it didn't work. Unlike what you said to Voldemort about me being, well, you know what it was. I kind of wish this would have never happened especially since we were going to get our revenge on Flack and Danny for all those jokes about us 'being together.' It was going to be fun. But life is unexpected. Right now you are lying here, comatose because of me. And I'm sorry," she felt tears come into her eyes which she quickly wiped away. "You have this ability to make me cry, and it's not fun. I don't know how you do what you do. I just don't know. I guess I'm the Thomas of the lab. I had to be here to know that you were alive, and that I hadn't killed you. I'm sorry, Mac, I really am. I wish you were awake. You would know that I'm not lying. You would be able to read me like an open book which is cool in its own way, but it always scared me. Well, I think I'd better go. Here's this letter I wrote. I think it explains a lot. Read it when you can or whatever. See you on the other side." The letter was on the bedside table, just waiting to be read. She just sat there for a little while making sure that he was still alive before she left. Mac's chest steadily rose and fell as he was still unconscious. At least, he could breathe on his own.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

"So when Kelly gets back, do you think there will be a major cat fight?" Danny asked Flack who laughed.

"Probably, I tried to tell Stella that she was sorry. I was a little scared after I told her that. But think about it. If you were in her situation, would you even think that Kelly would show any remorse?"

"No, but she will freak when she finds out that Kelly visited Mac today. I told you there was something between them," Danny joked.

"Or she feels really guilty about what happened," Flack reprimanded him.

"I guess, but you wouldn't be switching sides on me would you?" Danny asked.

"Never," he answered with a grin. "I can't believe they've never tried to pull something on us. Now, it's too late."

"It can't be. I mean, Mac's going to wake up, he has to. He couldn't die. I mean, he's not even on the machines," Danny told him. It was hard to work with their leader fallen. That and a member of their team under investigation were breaking them apart.

………………………………………………………………………………………

It was hard for Stella not to blame Kelly. She wasn't normally like this, but this whole incident was just messed up. Kelly had screwed up majorly, and Stella wasn't about to forgive her. There was no way on earth that she was going to forgive her. No, Mac was the forgiving one. She doubted that even he could forgive her of this. So Stella wasn't very thrilled when she saw Kelly's letter at the nightstand. She took it and decided that she should read it.

_Mac,_

_Well, probably Stella will read this before you. I guess that's okay, and it's something that I would do if I was her. You probably won't read this for a while as you are in a coma. You probably don't even know that I visited you. Well, I haven't slept since three days ago. I tried drinking, and it didn't work. I can't stop feeling guilty about what I did. I don't think you could even comprehend how much it took to not just off it. I know how weak that is, but it's true. I just wanted it over. Thanks to Hawkes not letting me out of his sight, I didn't. It took that and knowing how disappointed you would be in me. I never properly thanked you for helping me and letting me go to Texas. As much as I hated bringing up the past, I needed to. You were right, but when aren't you?  
__What happened to us? I mean I know what went down in the warehouse, but I mean why did you even try to save me? I don't deserve it. I deserve to be in the coma while you are fine. Not with an IA investigation of course. I've been suspended again. I think that it was the right thing, for them to suspend me. I wish we could trade places, but we can't. I'm stuck while trying to be forgiven. They tell me nothing's changed. That I did what I had to do, but they lie. It's just different now. Even Hawkes doesn't look at me the same way. He said that it didn't change the way he feels about me, but I know how much he respects you. And Stella is not too thrilled with me right now. I don't blame her. I probably even condone that, but I feel isolated. What am I doing complaining to you? It doesn't matter. It's my fault. I know that.  
__I have to say that I hope that Kevin would have turned out to be half the man you are. You two are so alike. I know that I've accidently called you Kevin, but I'm thinking you understand. He wanted to be a cop which is why I became one. And I have to say that was the best decision I've made in a long while. Maybe if you come out of this, we could start over? On a new page. Though if you choose to not forgive me, I understand. I still want you to give me away at my wedding. You could totally hate me, which you __probably will, and I would want you to give me away. Mac, I wish the best as I couldn't want anything else. I could never want harm on you, no matter how much we fight. I love you like a brother. And you told me once that family protects. I think that the best thing we can do for each other is to stay away from each other. If I get out of this investigation, I will tell you this then because you are going to wake up. Consider this my two week's notice. _

_Kelly_

Stella blinked. That was a lot deeper than she thought Kelly would go in that letter. She felt a twinge of guilt as it was meant for Mac. It was rather poignant and personal. It was more personal than she had ever seen Kelly go. Maybe there was a reason she trusted Mac more than anyone else. He hadn't judged her so she opened up which was a big thing for her to do. Stella put the letter on top of the envelope which was on top of the nightstand. She turned her focus to her husband. She held his hand, hoping he would regain consciousness. She began to tell him about the day just because she knew he was listening.

………………………………………………………………………………..

"Anything on that IA investigation?" Hawkes asked Lindsay.

"You know them. It could be a while. How's she holding up?" Hawkes shrugged.

"She isn't talking like at all. After the night at the bar, she just shut down," Hawkes answered.

"She's tough. She'll make it," Lindsay was sure.

"Yeah, but Mac is who she went to when she wanted to talk, and I'm not Mac," he expressed his concern.

"But you're her fiancé. That has to count for something," Lindsay replied.

"You would think"

……………………………………………………………………………………..

"So Danny and Flack came by today, and so did Lindsay. Hawkes said he'd come by later. I doubt it. He's just kind of closed up. He says he's trying to take care of Kelly, and that she's just shut down. I think he's a little worried about what she'll do if she's alone for too long," Stella told Mac. "The cases are same old same old. Everyone's just different, now. They've been great and strong, but they need you. I need you." She squeezed his hand as a more of a habit than to see if he would awaken. But, like always, there was no response. "Please, Mac. I had to wait long enough to be yours, but please don't make me wait any longer." Still nothing. But she wasn't one to give up easily. She waited into the early hours of the morning until she had to leave for shift or they might hunt her down. They looked to her to be strong. "Come on, Mac. Don't give up." And with that she had to leave.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Looking at the evidence, Miss Higgins," the IA guy started. She looked down. It had been a week since the incident. "You said it was an accident. You were right. It was a through and through. The bullet passed through Hal Martinez and entered your boss." Kelly didn't even register that. Her boss was comatose because of you. She didn't want to know the guy's name she had killed. It was too hard.

"So what does that mean?"

"You're suspended for a month. No pay. After that, you can return to work. I'm sorry," he wasn't in the slightest bit remorseful.

"Alright," Kelly told him. He gave her a hint to leave. She took it, turning red as she had to walk through the precinct. She saw Flack and Angell talking by the water cooler. She turned away so they wouldn't see her, but it was a failed attempt. She decided to risk getting yelled at by Stella and visit Mac in the hospital. All she wanted to do was apologize to him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey," Kelly said softly from the doorway. Stella looked up at her. "I just wanted to say sorry, to both of you. I won't visit again. Night Stella, night Mac." She turned to leave the room. She walked to the elevator, feeling worse than when she came there.

"Come on, Mac. Please. You should've read her letter. She needs you. The team needs you. I need you too," she squeezed his hand again. He squeezed it back. "Mac." She was surprised to say the least.

"Stell," he answered, lips opening just a crack. He opened his eyes. The world seemed blander than he remembered until he realized he was in the hospital.

"Yeah, it's me," she told him. It was quiet after that for neither had to say a word.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

"What do you think you're doing?" Stella asked him one morning as he was about to get up.

"Going to work," he answered.

"You're not going anywhere. The doc said two weeks of bed rest _minimum_," she told him.

"Yeah, but I was in coma for a week and up for two days so doesn't that count?" he asked. She chuckled.

"Not in the least," Stella laughed. He shrugged.

"They released me," he told her.

"No, you forced them to release you. You're supposed to wait a little while, Mac," she rolled her eyes.

"I'm a bit impatient anyways I want to make sure Danny and Kelly didn't do anything stupid," he told her. She stopped. He hadn't read the letter.

"She's been suspended for a month. I think you should read this letter she wrote," Stella told him. He took it off the nightstand as he pulled his shirt on.

"She serious?" he asked. Stella nodded. "I need to talk to her. But first, Stell, thank you. I know you were here literally night and day. I even heard they had to force you to work." She laughed.

"That's what partners do- we take care of each other," she reminded him as she had done on several occasions. "And you're my husband. What else was I supposed to do?" He smiled. "And as your wife, I'm telling you that there's no way you're leaving the hospital."

"Kelly may want to quit, but Danny is at the lab, and that's not a good thing so I'm going," he smiled.

**After Notes: That was fun to string you guys along. Letting you guys think I'd killed Mac. I got several threats. I have to say that I'm glad you guys read this one. Sorry to drop the ball on that one (Kelly quiting). I have a plan for it. Fun stuff! Please tell me what you think! I would like to thank my reviewers: Mrs. Donald Flack Jr., luf100, kaidiii, h-h-han, lily moonlight, Blue Shadowdancer, and Bonasera! They rock! Wow! This is my longest chapter ever! Hope you have a fantastic day! :D**


	60. The One With The Two Weeks' Notice

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. How can you not realize that by now?**

**Notes: Drama! Couldn't resist. Now I have another cliffhanger to resolve. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Two Weeks' Notice**

_Mac glanced up and came face to face with the barrel of the gun. It was Kelly, though, who made the next move. She used a similar move to the one she used on Danny in that snowball fight. She hooked the guy's leg pulling him down. The gun went sliding across the floor. Kelly dove for it as Voldemort tackled the now risen Mac. Kelly picked up the automatic weapon and aimed. She didn't fire though as she could have hit Mac. Not until she had a clear shot at Voldemort did she fire. A large thud. She dropped her weapon and pushed the deceased thug away from Mac. Kelly was expecting Mac to be fine. After all, he was their fearless leader. She saw blood coming from his chest. She knelt beside him and felt his neck for a pulse. But it was hard to look for something that wasn't there._ Kelly woke up in a cold sweat. It wasn't the first time she had that dream. Every single night since the incident she had it. That was if she could get to sleep. She looked over at her clock. Three in the morning. She sighed but refused to go back to sleep. She refused to submit herself to that dream again. She decided to go for a run. That would clear her head. Well, maybe it would that time. It hadn't before, and that was really what she wanted. It was what she really needed. Pulling her hair up into a ponytail, she completed her running ensemble. She left a note telling where she would be if he woke up before she got back. Actually, she didn't know where she was going. She was just going to run. The simplicity of it drew her to it every morning especially after what she did. And then later that morning she had to face everyone again. That was the thought she couldn't face. She didn't want everyone looking at her _that_ way. She was the one who almost killed Mac. She hated that title.

………………………………………………………………………………….

He sat there reading it over and over again. He just couldn't believe that she would quit. Maybe she thought it was the right thing, but he needed to talk to her about it. So he left a note on her desk. He hoped she wouldn't keep avoiding him, not that he could really blame her.

……………………………………………………………………………………

_Kelly,_

_My office after shift. We need to talk._

_Mac_

Now she was dreading that. She had been avoiding him ever since she got back from her suspension. It hadn't exactly been too vague either. She wasn't hiding the fact that she was avoiding him. She couldn't face him after what she did. But finally the end of shift rolled around.

"Come in," Mac said when she knocked on the door. He looked up and gave her his full attention. She shrank back, but she walked into his office and sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"What's this?" he waved the letter she had written him.

"Just some of the thoughts I had when you were in the hospital, Mac. I'm sorry. I really am," she told him. He said nothing.

"Well, it's been hard to miss that you've been avoiding me. And then what is this at the end of your letter? Two weeks' notice?" he finally asked.

"Well, that's the professional thing to do," she replied.

"I know. But I wanted to talk to you about it and maybe change your mind," he said.

"You can try"

"First, I'm not letting you just leave. You have so much to learn, Kelly. You haven't reached your full potential," he told her.

"Okay," she looked outside at the buildings as the sun set, light reflected on the windows.

"You're quitting again, Kelly, and I think you should reconsider. So your family dies, and you move as far away as possible to escape some hardship. So now what? You have another bump in the road so are you going to run this time?" he asked.

"You have no right," she told him.

"I have no right, that's cute," he answered. "No, just listen to me because I should be royally ticked at you right now." She decided to look him in his eyes.

"Okay"

"Kelly, what do you think I've been doing? I'm trying to teach you. But quitting will do nothing for you but leave you unemployed, and I won't give you a second chance if you quit. Anyway you signed a contract. Iron clad too," he told her.

"But…" she began.

"But what? Am I being too harsh? Good then. Suck it up! I'm not accepting this whether you want to quit or not," he ripped up the letter. She flinched as she had spent a long while writing that letter. Did he think it was easy for her to say what she did? "Cowboy up, Kelly. Now, if you would excuse me, I have some paperwork to finish." She blinked and took in what he said. He didn't look back at her so she left.

…………………………………………………………………………….

"Kells, you okay?" Danny asked the next day. She said nothing to him. She wasn't talking much lately. All she did was nod. It was all she needed to do. She left him there because she needed to talk to someone. She caught Mac as he was about to leave on a lunch break.

"Mac, wait up!" she called after him. He turned around and waited impatiently. "Got to talk to you." He nodded.

"Lunch then," he said looking at his watch. "This better be important." He knew full well that it was. "There's a café over on 22nd that I was going to go to. You're welcome to join me."

"You were going to eat alone?"

"Just needed to think, but I can find time for that," he answered.

………………………………………………………………………………….

"So talk," he told her as they sat down at an empty table.

"Well, you were right," she started.

"You made me pay for your lunch just to tell me that?" he asked laughing.

"I had to take advantage of the situation, and I'll pay you back," she answered. "I've been without pay for a month. Just give me a day or two, and I'll scrounge something together." He nodded. "Well, I thought a lot yesterday about what you said, and if you're willing to overlook that brief weakness I had, I'm willing to learn anything you have to teach me." He nodded. "And I'd like to apologize. You have every right to be ticked at me and hate me. I think you should. I'm confused as to why you don't."

"I like you better than Flack and Messer," he answered simply. "You're easier to teach which brings me to another point as to why you shouldn't quit. What are we supposed to do with them?"

"I don't know. I mean there are always Russian poisons," she joked. He smiled.

"Okay, but how about something _legal_?" he asked her.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"Kelly, you know that it's not your fault what happened. I mean it is, but it isn't. You didn't intentionally shoot me which I know. And I read the letter which you were right in the fact that Stella did read it first. I don't think she hates you. She just, yeah, she pretty much hates you. I can't change that. Maybe I'm a bit more forgiving than her," he told her. She nodded.

"You read all of it?"

"All of it," he answered. "And I know what you almost did. And you were right that I would have been disappointed in you. And the drinking thing too. What were you thinking?"

"I don't know. I just wanted and still want the guilt to go away," she told him.

"But you don't get it, Kells. You didn't kill me. You may have _almost_ killed me, but I want you to know that I don't blame you," he told her. It took a lot for him to come to that decision, but he didn't want to see her in that much pain at what she did. And when he told her that he didn't blame her, he meant it.

"Yeah, yeah," she told him.

"How can you not accept my forgiveness?" he asked, confused with her.

"I don't deserve it," she answered simply.

"My little CSI," he hugged her. "What will it take for you to understand that I don't blame you? Can't you hear my heart beat? Don't you know that you didn't kill me? You know I'm alive, but you can't accept that."

……………………………………………………………………..

"So where'd you go?" Flack asked her. She shrugged, not wanting to talk. She just felt isolated from the group. Kelly didn't want to be talking to them and joking around then as soon as she left, be made fun of. It just hurt too much to be talked about behind her back again. Just like in college. Just the freaky alcoholic. It didn't start that way. She never used to drink. She never missed her classes. The only reason she drank was to drown the memories of her family. If it wasn't for her friends, she probably would have shot her liver. Not that it was doing that great. She made a mistake in college, but she was forgiven. She made a mistake then, and she was forgiven. Why on earth was she forgiven when she didn't deserve it? "Kells?" She shrugged again, and he got that she didn't want to talk.

…………………………………………………………………….

"Kelly, can you go to autopsy for me and get the results?" Danny asked. She nodded and took the stairs to autopsy so she could have more time to think.

"Okay, thanks Sid," Stella told him and turned to leave. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Kelly who stopped also. Sid stood there, trying to figure out how to stop a fight that was already in progress. Stella glared at Kelly who surprisingly didn't glare back. "Well, stop the presses. Look who's back." Kelly could hear the bitterness and anger in those two sentences. She ignored it and kept walking to Sid. "I thought you had quit." Kelly was trying hard to ignore this, but she had already made her hands into fists. She honestly surprised Sid because she hadn't retaliated yet. He noticed that Kelly had turned red at the mention of her quitting. Normally, she would've punched Stella by now for saying those things in those ways. She looked ashamed though. She looked anywhere but at Stella who was fuming. "And I can't say that I'm happy you stayed." Stella had mumbled that, but the person who it was meant for heard it all too well. Kelly was surprised at Stella's outright loathing for her. She knew how she felt, but Kelly thought she'd hint at something. The only reason Kelly hadn't retaliated was because of Mac. She had a great respect for him and already felt terrible about complaining to him about his wife. And since she respected Mac she had to respect Stella even though she was receiving all this hate from her.

"So, Kelly, let me tell you about what I found during the autopsy," Sid said finally speaking up. Kelly looked at him and nodded. Stella took that as a cue to leave.

……………………………………………………………………

Kelly handed him the results and left. She didn't explain it. She hadn't talked to anyone that day besides Mac, and she didn't want to talk to anyone because they would just ask how she was doing. And that was pity, and she _hated_ to be pitied. Kind of like how several people in the lab hated her for what she did. She couldn't change the past so how was she supposed to change their minds? And then one of the people who hated her came by. Kelly didn't look at her. She kept her head down and walked by. "Just keep walking." It was a whisper, but Kelly heard it. She turned around and came face to face with Stella. Kelly had her fists clenched, but she wasn't going to do anything. Stella was laying on anything she could think of. Kelly was just about out of respect for her.

"Think we should do anything?" Hawkes asked Mac. "I'm looking at Kelly, and she's about to lose it."

"I'm more worried about what Stella's going to do. Kelly isn't going to do anything. Trust me," Mac was positive. He knew that Kelly was too full of guilt to do anything, and she had promised she wouldn't. Kelly liked to keep her word. She left Stella standing there. Kelly entered the locker room just to slam her locker door. _That's just great! Absolutely great! _Kelly kicked a locker. It wasn't hers. It was Danny's or Stella's. She didn't care. She had a lot of anger, and she had to get it out. She was going to explode if she didn't, and she was trying to keep her cool. She muttered several words that she would never let anyone hear her say. Most were calling Stella things that weren't exactly kind. Definitely something that she would never dare say to her face or near Mac, but things that she was sure Stella would call her to her face. There were probably several things that Stella would like to call Kelly to her face. She might have deserved some of them. Then again, just because Kelly had kept her cool, it didn't mean that she would keep it forever. And Kelly was known for her anger.

**After Notes: I have the next one already written. I hoped you like this one. It wasn't funny. Well, I didn't mean for it to be funny. The only thing I thought was funny was that Kelly wouldn't talk to anyone but Mac. But I wrote that so hmm. I hope that it was good and not too OOC. Maybe just a little bit? Okay, thanks! Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, lily moonlight, h-h-han, Bonasera, and Blue Shadowdancer! They are so amazing! I mean they have stuck through this story. Just because they say they like it (sometimes I don't believe them). Hope you have a fantastic day! :D**


	61. The One With The Spat

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Well, I'm delaying my next one as it is very light hearted, and I need another serious one. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Spat**

Kelly woke up in a cold sweat. Same nightmare. She was not getting any sleep recently. It wasn't healthy, and if that wasn't enough, her work was a living hell all because of something she did accidently. She was convinced that it would never let up. It was worse than rookie duties, but Kelly didn't complain. She was going to give Stella any satisfaction of knowing that it was getting to her. No, Kelly just went through the motions of the day. But that wasn't the worry then. Her face was wet. She had been crying again. She did it in her sleep sometimes. Kelly looked over at Hawkes who was still asleep. She then looked at the clock. It was one in the morning. She couldn't get back to sleep. She decided to go on another run. That was when she put on her shell that transformed weak and pitiful Kelly Higgins into the cold, hard, and unfeeling Detective Kelly Higgins. That was how she took on the hardness of every day. Every day it seemed to get harder. Seeing what she'd done to Mac, and that he had to take those pain pills. Every time she saw him take one she felt a twinge of pain in her heart. And every time she flinched which he didn't fail to notice. He told her that it was okay, but he just didn't get it. No one did, and it was that that made her climb farther into the hole she'd dug. She hadn't talked much since the incident. Some would say she was a shell of her former self. It pained many of the techs whom she had befriended. Even Adam felt bad for her. She didn't take an opportunity to gang up on him with Mac. She wouldn't talk bad about anyone unless no one was around in which case she might vent her feelings on an unsuspecting locker. When she did talk, it was always about a case. The only person they had seen her actually converse with besides Hawkes which she only did on rarity was Mac.

She ignored the crosswalk and ran across the intersection anyway. It was one of the side streets, and it was completely empty. She looked ahead of her. The buildings were a blur as she wasn't focusing on them. No, in her mind she was emptying everything that made her weak and vulnerable. The concrete became grainier as she kept the same pace throughout her run. She would run for two or three hours and even four on occasion. She didn't need the exercise, but she needed to get away from things for a few hours. She even found herself running during lunch. That was just something she got into the habit of. Anything to get away from the guilt. She took the roads near the docks normally. She was getting a good ten to twelve miles in a day. She ignored the fatigue and pushed it to the back of her mind. With only two to three hours of sleep as an average, she wasn't helping herself at all. She remembered that she had gotten seven hours asleep one night, but a coffee cured her tiredness. If it didn't, an energy drink did. Maybe one of those days she would stay asleep. Maybe she wouldn't have that recurring dream. Maybe she would find some peace.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Morning," Danny greeted her. She didn't look up. "Kells, are you okay? You look like crap."

"Well, don't you know how to make a girl feel special? I'm fine. I couldn't sleep," she told him truthfully.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked knowing the answer. How could he think that this would make her a more open individual? She shook her head. But that wasn't a surprise. He might have made her crack, but she sealed that up before anything could come out. Except one thing which was that she wasn't sleeping. And now he was concerned for his friend. It was hard to miss that Stella was not making her life easier, but what surprised everyone was that she didn't retaliate. Even Mac had stayed out of this one. He must have known something that no one else did.

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Hey," Hawkes told her softly from the doorway. She had just gotten back from another lunch run. It was hard to miss that she was worn out. She nodded, not in a mood to talk. "I brought you your lunch from the fridge." He tossed her the paper bag.

"Thanks," she murmured quietly as she quickly got into the lunch she had so excellently prepared. "I need to change out of these clothes." He took his cue to leave as even though they knew each other intimately it was still the lab, and she was still a private person.

"Why don't you take the day and sleep?" he asked when she came out of the locker room. She shrugged.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Everyone has a breaking point. A promise was a promise, but Kelly didn't know how much more she could take. And then after lunch that day, it came undone when Stella mumbled something about Kelly's character and a rather rude word that insulted her morals.

"You're one to talk," Kelly answered turning around, her face red with anger. "Look, you can put me through anything you want, but this is my character." The lab seemed to stop. "So this is it. I may have made a promise, but when you call me that, it's over. I don't care if I did promise Mac. I haven't said anything because of him, but there's a point." What Kelly said next was rather rude and rather explicit. She didn't care what that she was talking to her boss' wife. Stella crossed a line, and Kelly wasn't letting her get away with that.

"After what you did, I should be able to say what I think," Stella answered. Their voices were raised. Danny and Flack were talking in the break room when they heard what Kelly said.

"Did she just say that?"

"I told you there would be a cat fight," Danny mumbled. Mac and Hawkes were in the trace lab looking at some results when they heard what Kelly said. They looked at each other then ran toward the commotion. Hawkes automatically ran to Kelly who had her fists clenched. He took her in his arms, holding her so she couldn't move her arms. Mac had led Stella away and was now whispering fiercely to her.

"Kells, what were you thinking?" he whispered.

"Kelly, my office _now_," Mac told her. She started muttering things in Italian but followed him to the office. He looked her over. She looked gaunt. Her eyes had dark shadows behind them, telling him that she hadn't gotten a decent night sleep for a long while. She looked terrible health wise. He didn't see the light in her eyes. Something in her had died. It was as if she just got up because it was routine. There was no bounce in her step. The only thing he could tell definitely was the anger in her.

"I don't see you talking to Stella," she mumbled.

"Listen, you don't tell me how to do my job. I'm going to talk to her. And you don't tell me how my marriage should work," he answered angrily.

"Well, someone should," she told him heatedly.

"You don't talk to me like that," he said condescendingly. He grabbed her by her shoulders and resisted the urge to shake her.

"I'll talk to you how I want after what she called me," Kelly answered. "No one calls me that." She was breathing heavily as the anger surged through her. She could care less who she took it out on.

"Call you what?"

"Guess because I'm not repeating it"

"You seemed only too happy to cuss her out"

"Okay, you get called that, and I want to see you not react the same way"

"I don't care!"

"Oh, I see. Side with her. Don't know that I'm surprised"

"I'm worried about you," he said after a long silence.

"So what?" Kelly told him, rolling her eyes. "I'm fine."

"Okay, then tell me why you haven't slept in days, Kelly. Why do you look like you are sick? Why are you so depressed?"

"Because of what I did. I can't sleep at night, Mac, because I play what happened over and over again. I go to sleep at around ten or eleven and get up at one. I run after that. Then I come into work and am put through hell. I can't work with Stella when she hates me. I can't help the fact that I can't sleep. Do you think this is what I want?"

"Of course not," he answered quietly. "Kelly, see a psychiatrist."

"No," that was her answer _always_. "I am _not _seeing a shrink. I didn't need one eleven years ago, and I don't need one now!"

"It's obvious that you're suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," Mac told her. "See a shrink."

"No!"

……………………………………………………………………………

"Mac still talking to Kelly?" Danny asked Hawkes.

"No, now him, Stella, and Kelly are talking," he answered.

"That will go real well," Danny laughed.

"I know so Mac brought Sid up since he's unbiased in this"

………………………………………………………………………………..

"Well, you know what I think," Stella muttered.

"Yeah, I do, and I'll meet you there, you-" Kelly was cut off by a look from Sid surprisingly. Mac stood in the back of his office. It wasn't his fight.

"Okay, how about we just talk it out. Kelly, you first," Sid told her.

"Well, it's obvious that you hate me because of what happened in that warehouse. I can't help that. I can tell you though what's going on. I've gotten an average of three hours of sleep a night for the past month now. I wake up around one in the morning, and I jog until I feel so sick that I can't even walk. Then I go to work which I used to love but not hate. I run whenever I can. I promised Mac that I wouldn't retaliate, but after you called me that, I couldn't stay calm anymore," Kelly explained everything except the fact that Mac was right about the PTSD.

"Of course, I blame you. Every single day waking up and having to see him in pain because of what _you_ did. The pain pills and everything that goes along with that," Stella glared.

"Do you think that it doesn't bother me? I have had the same nightmare since it happened. I can't stop that. I flinch every time he takes one of those pills because it hurts me to see him like that. I have enough of a conscience without you trying to be mine," she returned the glare.

"It doesn't seem to bother you," Stella spat.

"Funny because it does. You don't have to live with what you did. You didn't shoot him. I did. That's my responsibility that I have to live with. I don't need you laying on guilt. I flashback to what happened every day. Every time I see a gun or a bullet or even him I flashback. Do you know how hard it is reliving one of the worst moments in your life?"

"Yes," she thought of what happened to her with Frankie.

"Then what is with all this? I want to know why you are out to make my life a living hell," Kelly told her. She was winning the argument, and she knew it. She had Stella on the defensive then.

"I don't know. Okay? That good enough for you?"

"Yeah, it is,"

………………………………………………………………………………………

"Take her home. And make sure she gets a full night of sleep. If you miss work because of that, so be it," Mac told Hawkes who nodded. He led his fiancé to their apartment. They sat down on their couch.

"You want to talk about it?"

"No," she answered automatically, yawning.

"Well, you are sleeping tonight, Kelly. I don't care if that means that I have to stay up all night to make sure, but I will," he told her. She smiled and hugged him. He pulled her head close to his chest. "Just sleep. Please." And she did. He held onto her through the entire night, hoping that her mind wouldn't wander back to the warehouse and back to what had happened. And that night she did find some peace. But like all things, it didn't last. They had to go back to work.

………………………………………………………………………………………

Kelly walked slowly to the door. She looked at her watch. She turned back. She couldn't do it, but she needed to. She turned around again and opened the door. No one needed to know that she was there.

_Dr. Hamilton_

_NYPD Psychiatrist_

**After Notes: I hoped you liked it! I did try for some humor, but who knows if it worked? Well, I think I resolved the Stella and Kelly fight. But I do have the next chapter, and it's lighthearted, but there's a good reason as to why Stella might hate Kelly again after that. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: Blue Shadowdancer, h-h-han, lily moonlight, CSIMiami17, EverythingIsConnected, and luf100! They are so amazing! Hope you had a fantastic day! :D**


	62. The One With The Revealed Secret

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Just bear through this one. If you don't like it, please just finish it. It should pay off in the end. This one's for Blue Shadowdancer (she knows why), don't kill me! Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Revealed Secret**

"To getting another killer off the streets," Danny toasted. Everyone raised their glasses. No one seemed to notice the two CSIs deep in conversation at the end of the table. He had his arm around the back of her chair. She was 'dangerously' close to him. "Whoa, you two. Hand count!" Everyone including them laughed. "I was serious. Kelly, what is with you and Mac? I mean seriously it's just not right."

"You're right. What we did was a terrible thing to do," Mac told him. Everyone else seemed to perk up.

"I thought we agreed that it was meant to stay between us," Kelly told him. Hawkes gave her a look.

"Well, seeing as you are going to get married, secrets are bad for marriage, Kelly," Mac told her. Kelly gave him a look.

"What about you? You never told Stella, did you?" she asked.

"Um… no," he answered looking down.

"I'm now curious," Stella told him.

"What in the world are you two talking about?" Angell asked.

"We had an affair," Kelly answered truth in her eyes. "It was just a little fling."

"Stella and Hawkes, don't worry. What really happened was that they went out for a drink, and someone slipped something into both their drinks. The whole thing was staged to look like something happened when it didn't," Flack assured them, laughing.

"By fling, she means a three month affair," Mac told them.

"What?! I was only joking," Danny told them.

"Well, this actually happened. We decided to finally come clean," Kelly told him. "It's been a hard time lying to all of you all."

"I bet all the sex made it easier!" Flack told them.

"Well, actually yeah," Kelly mumbled. Mac nodded.

"You two can't be serious," Hawkes was sure. They couldn't be, could they?

"Unfortunately, we are," Mac told him.

"Oh my gosh," was all Stella could get out.

"I know, and I'm sorry," Mac told her. "It just happened."

"How does something like that just happen?" Lindsay asked.

"Well, I don't know. We were flirting, and then it just sort of escalated," Kelly told her.

"It was terrible and immoral," Mac said.

"But totally hot," Kelly added. "I mean terrible, very terrible." She couldn't help the flirty smile that was on her face.

"Don't even start that again," Mac told her. Everyone just looked at the two of them. Flack's mouth was wide open. Sure, they gave them grief, but they never expected them to admit that.

"And if this was indeed an accident, how come it lasted for three months?" Lindsay wondered.

"You don't honestly believe that I went running every morning, do you? We just really liked it, and then every Tuesday and Thursday and even some weekends it just happened again," Kelly smiled. "And then it was almost over by the time of the Sullivan's incident. I wouldn't just make out with anyone. There really was something. We just weren't going to admit to that."

"And so it was a mutual decision to break it off," Mac said. "It just got to be too complicated. The whole point was to just get feelings out of the way. And then the whole close call where something was almost found out about. In the locker room, I mean. Not that we did it in there. No, the lab's reputation is too important to risk, but Kelly can explain this better than me, can't you?"

"Well, yeah, seeing as you were trying to kiss me when Danny walked in," Kelly told the others. "And then we knew it wasn't going to work. I mean it was hot, but I just couldn't sleep with my boss anymore. No offense, Stella." The others were starting to believe them.

"I just don't get how you could've kept this hidden," Flack stated.

"Well, we're both CSIs, and it was normally in the morning seeing as that was the time when we both run in the day. It's not like we were putting this out there to be known," Kelly answered. Flack nodded.

"And where if I may ask?" Stella asked trying to hide her anger and humiliation.

"Well, normally at a cheap hotel. I used part of my inheritance seeing as Hawkes doesn't have any control over my money. He didn't notice so it continued," Kelly answered.

"And it was great while it lasted," Mac stated.

"Why thank you. You weren't bad yourself," she answered.

"Okay, I want to hear about it. Now's your time to get revenge on hearing about my love life," Flack told them.

"You do? Well, if you insist, Mac, will you do the honors?"

"That's just getting personal though, and I'm not really okay with that"

"Oh come on, I want to hear," Flack insisted. Kelly and Mac looked anywhere but at each other. They finally agreed.

"Okay, but I don't think you really want to know how far this went," Kelly warned. "I think what my friend, Caitie, told me in college applies. Yell at each other, push him, look into each other's eyes, and then make out."

"You're going to tell that one?" Mac asked.

"Oh, you don't like that one?" she rebutted.

"Well, it's an okay one, I guess," he answered.

"Will you two stop it?!" Stella and Hawkes said at once. They looked at each other then at their respective partners.

"I guess since we've already started telling, we need to finish," Mac told them. "So go ahead and tell."

"Fine, I will. So it went sort of like my friend's saying goes. We were fighting over something rather stupid when I think about it now. I mean I guess it was a good thing."

"_Don't you get it?!" Mac yelled at her._

"_Probably, if you would tell me!" she yelled back._

"_Do you ever listen?"_

"_No, what did you say?" she laughed. He glared at her._

"_Kelly Catherine Higgins," he reprimanded. She pushed him, using both hands. It was quiet for a moment as they just looked at each other. Mac stepped forward and, putting his hands on her neck and the bottom of her cheeks, kissed her, letting passion be his guide. And she kissed him back, letting her hands drift to his chest. _

"Wow, you remember that vividly," Mac said.

"Well, it was the first time we kissed. I thought it was a memorable moment," she told him.

"It wasn't the moment I would've chose," he answered.

"I couldn't care less about your moments," Stella spat. Hawkes just glared at Mac.

"We thought you should know the truth," Kelly told her.

"Wait a minute! Where were you two when that happened?" Flack asked. "Surely not the lab?"

"No, we were outside of a café," Mac answered.

"Well, that's _professional_," Lindsay mumbled.

"And that's all that happened?" Danny questioned.

"Well, no, we finally sort of drifted apart," Kelly replied.

"Okay, you two were fighting when it happened, but you said that you were flirting," Lindsay stated her opinion.

"See, he had been flirting back, and I just hadn't gotten that he actually meant something. I mean you had to tell me that Hawkes was flirting with me," Kelly told Lindsay who nodded.

"Isn't it good to get off your chest? I mean when I cheated on Lindsay, I felt terrible," Danny told them. "And so you two haven't done anything since, right?"

"That was it until Miami," Kelly finally said.

"What?!" everyone seemed to ask at the same time with the exception of Mac.

"Yeah, I mean not at four in the morning, but I think we are both now members of the Mile High Club," Mac told the others.

"I wasn't talking about that," she said. "Remember? At the hotel."

"How could I forget that?" he mumbled.

"I don't want to know. I think you two should stop while you are behind," Stella said, giving Mac a we'll talk later look. He ignored that.

"You sure are getting around the lab," Hawkes spat. Kelly and Mac weren't sure who he actually said that to.

"Well, you might as well call me what you're thinking. I said it was a mistake," Kelly answered. "It may not have seemed that way when it was going on, but now I see my mistake."

"Really? Because you seem only too willing to talk about it," Hawkes said. She rolled her eyes.

"I want to hear more," Danny thought out loud.

"Trust me, you don't," Kelly told him.

"No, I do. Mac, why don't you tell a story?" Danny asked. Mac didn't exactly have a choice.

"Well, so it was after the café incident. We weren't about to do anything in one of our apartments"

"_Sure we should be doing this?" Kelly asked._

"_What could happen? They think we hate each other, remember?" he asked leaning in to kiss her again._

"_Yeah, yeah, I remember. I mean sure that we should be doing this here right now?" she asked again. He kissed her softly._

"_That answer your question?" he asked. This time she pulled him into the kiss. First soft then harder as she began to undo the top of his shirt._

"Use your imagination with what happened next," Kelly told the others.

"I just can't believe it. I mean, Mac? Kelly, why him?" Flack asked.

"I guess I won't take that personally," Mac mumbled.

"I don't know," she shrugged.

"I can't believe this. I'm going to have nightmares now," Danny joked as he got up to leave. Lindsay also left. Soon, only Mac and Kelly were left.

"Okay, I'll pay. You guys just leave," he mumbled after them.

"No worries, I'll split it, and give you what I owe you for lunch that day," she told him pulling out her wallet.

"No, its fine," he answered. "We probably deserve it." She laughed.

"Cheers," they raised the glasses a little and then drank to their joke. "I can't wait till we tell them the truth."

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"You sleep in your apartment?" Kelly asked Mac the next morning.

"No, I would be lucky to sleep on the street in a blizzard after that," he answered. "I had to get a hotel room. What about you?"

"I wouldn't give him the chance to talk to me. I crashed at Flack's place. He told me that he was happy for me. I think I need to talk to him," she told him. He nodded smiling.

"I think we should've told them before the others," Mac laughed.

"You think?" there was her sarcasm.

"So should we tell?" he asked.

"Probably," she answered.

"Now what are you lovers talking about?" Danny asked.

"That, actually," Kelly told him.

"What now?" Danny asked.

"Can you get everyone from last night in here?" Kelly wondered.

"Okay, but I don't like where this is going," Danny left. Mac and Kelly started laughing.

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Okay, so we thought we'd actually tell the truth," Kelly said.

"You know how I told you that I would forgive you no matter what? Well, I really don't think that sleeping with our boss is under the 'no matter what' clause," Hawkes mumbled. Mac and Kelly looked at each other and chuckled.

"That's a good one. Me and Mac sleeping together," Kelly couldn't stop laughing.

"I don't get it," Flack stated. Of course he would say that.

"Well, we never slept together in the first place. How could you ever believe that?" Mac asked.

"I don't know. You two were convincing. How do we know that you aren't lying now?"

"Because which seems more likely? That we are lying about sleeping together and probably trying to teach you a lesson, or that we had an affair and admitted that?" Kelly asked.

"Honestly?"

"Danny, shut up. We got so irritated at you making jokes that would insinuate Mac and I sleeping together that we decided to play along. You should have seen your faces when we told you that we had an affair," Kelly told them. She and Mac couldn't stop laughing. "Hawkes, I'm so sorry, but to make it a realistic payback we couldn't tell you. And, Stella, you must really hate me now. But think about it. I mean seriously, Mac and myself. How does that even work?"

"Well," Danny started but was silenced by a look from Kelly and a slap _NCIS_ style to the back of his head.

"We're sorry, but we just got sick of that. And we didn't come up with those stories. Did we, Kells?"

"No, we called my friends, Niki and Caitie, and I think Niki would have liked us to tell that other story, but that was embarrassing. I mean who was she kidding? We couldn't have pulled that one off," Kelly laughed. "I would've died from laughing. I have to say, Mac, you gave a pretty convincing performance."

"Well, I tried," Stella gave him a look to kill after that comment. Hawkes could not believe what had just happened. "And kudos to you. I didn't think you were going to keep a straight face."

"Me? Mac, you looked like you were about to die out there"

"How would you even know? We didn't look at each other the entire night," he chuckled.

"You two, stop it!" Flack told them.

"And to think it was Mac's idea," Kelly told them.

"Seriously?" Danny asked.

"Seriously," Mac answered. "Kelly, I told you it took two for this one." The two of them laughed.

**After Notes: Aren't you glad to stick around? I have to say that was one of my favorites to write, but it was really awkward, and a lot of lines came from other shows and just life so if you want to know where some of that even came from just ask. I need to say that I do not support affairs. It's not right. Relationships rely on trust and faithfulness (like I would know not ever having a boyfriend, but that's another story for another day.). See, Blue, why I dedicated it to you (so much for shipping TaH, eh?)? That's what would probably happen if they had an affair minus them telling. That was really awkward to write. I hope that was funny. Don't hate me. Especially since I came up with those stories, but someone did tell me the whole push him thing, and she was talking about Mac/Kelly. I was gagging (and laughing hysterically) as she told me. They could make up so much of that stuff that I could say that they made it up, and it would sound true. But it was me. Don't kill me! I had to give the crazies (my good friends) something. Anyway I just got fed up with all the Mac/Kelly crap so I decided to sort of get back at you by writing Mac/Kelly crap. There might be logic in there somewhere. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: EverythingIsConnected, h-h-han, lily moonlight, CSIMiami17, GregRox, Blue Shadowdancer, and Bonasera! They rock! If you don't get a review reply for a couple of days, it's because I'm going home! Yes, where the buffaloes roam, and the deer and the antelope play. Where seldom is heard a discouraging word (the song writer apparently never met my family and friends), and the skies are not cloudy all day! Oh, I can't wait to be in my OWN bed after a month away from it. I do miss it, but I normally sleep on the couch anyway. Oh well, I'll be in Texas again, not that the mountains aren't beautiful, but there's something about home. Hope you had a fantastic day! :D**


	63. The One With The Lines

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I figured out the song that goes with the last one shot. **_**Some Mistakes**_** by **_**Brad Paisley**_** ; ) Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With The Lines**

"Wait up," Mac told her when she got onto the elevator. She held the doors long enough for him to enter.

"And they say chivalry is dead," Kelly muttered. She then proceeded to press the button for the lab twenty times repeatedly.

"You can be so weird," he said.

"If by weird, you mean beautiful then thank you," she flashed a smile. He rolled his eyes.

"Come up with that one on your own, did you?"

"Yes, and it got me through college," she answered. "Unlike you, I can come up with good lines."

"Insulting people to bring them down to your level, real witty," he answered as the elevator opened again, and they exited to find the rest of the team to discuss the case. They found them in Mac's office. "That's funny. It says Mac Taylor. That's a strange typo." Kelly laughed. Then it was all work.

………………………………………………………………………………

"Okay, okay, that's a funny one, but what about that one time with Danny and Lindsay?" Hawkes asked Kelly.

"Which one?" she laughed.

"The time when they came in together with wet hair."

"Do tell," Stella told her.

"Alright, alright," Kelly answered.

"_I hope there's a good reason to why you woke me up this early," Danny stated at a scene. Kelly laughed at him. _

"_Just get out of the shower?" she asked. He nodded._

"_What've we got?" Lindsay came up to the scene. Kelly looked at both of them._

"_Did you two shower together?" she asked. _

"_No," Lindsay and Danny answered mechanically._

"_Double negative. That's a yes," Kelly told Flack who started laughing._

"Wait, that never happened," Lindsay said, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Stop denying it. We're all adults here," she said.

"Are you including yourself in that?" Mac asked from the doorway.

"That's funny," Kelly answered, no sign of humor in her voice.

……………………………………………………………………………..

"Kells, to your wedding tomorrow," Danny raised his glass.

"Don't get too drunk," she laughed. "You two are supposed to stand by me in my wedding. Remember the deal?"

"Yeah, yeah. That pact we made like forever ago," Flack answered.

"Come on, let's shoot some pool," Kelly told them, standing up and facing her friends.

"As long as it's not on Danny's table," Flack laughed. Danny just shook his head.

"Table's open over there," Danny pointed. The three best buds put their drinks down and headed over for a quick game of pool that wasn't on Danny's table.

………………………………………………………………………….

"You clean up well."

"Thanks? Are you saying that I don't look nice?"

"Not what I said, and I won't say anything else , or you'll twist my words like always, but I never thought you'd get to this day," Mac told her. She gave a small smile, but she honestly felt like she'd puke. He smiled at her.

"No, I know no fear," she told him. He laughed.

"Except of rats," he answered.

"Real funny. You should take this show on the road," she joked. He rolled his eyes.

"I reckon I ought to escort you now," he winked.

"You can't do Texan," she laughed. "Not that we talk like that."

"No, you've lost your accent," he offered his arm. She took it, smiling.

"We won't live this down," she laughed.

"Nope, and for the record, it never would have worked between us. I'm way out of your league," he told her. She laughed harder.

"You wish, Taylor," she told him. "Don't even get me started on that because there is no way that you are out of my league. And I think I should stop talking now." He laughed.

"Well, you certainly aren't helping yourself right now," he answered.

…………………………………………………………………………...

"You may now kiss your bride," the minister said. _Finally. _Just a quick one as there was so much more hidden in it.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear. She smiled and told him the same thing.

……………………………………………………………………………………

"Speech time," Flack grinned. Kelly put her face in her hands. It was never good with Flack and Danny making a speech. "So we've known Kelly for a few years. Ever since she came to the NYPD Crime Lab. We've had some good times, but she's taught us a lot, hasn't she Danny?" Kelly was red with embarrassment.

"Yeah, like to never let her drink and to never let her work a crime scene with her boss. But she's taught us to be better people. She's put us in line so much," Danny remembered all the head slaps she'd given the two of them. Kelly shook her head.

"Well, we thought we'd embarrass her and go into the details of some stuff, but we would rather be here tomorrow. So to the happy couple," Flack winked at Kelly. She glared. He laughed as everyone raised their glasses.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"May I have this dance?" Hawkes asked her.

"Do you even have to ask?" she got up from her chair. He smiled.

"Before we dance, I have a question," he told her. She nodded a signal for him to go on. "Would you go with me?" She looked puzzled. "The song I chose, my dear." The music started to play. He took her hand and led her out on the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple. Danny whistled.

_Would you go with me if we rolled down streets of fire?  
__Would you hold on to me tighter when the summer sun got higher?  
__If we roll from town to town and never shut it down? _

"Montana, dance with me," Danny told her. She obliged and took his hand. He took her out onto the dance floor, and they danced, off beat, but still dancing. She rested her head on his shoulder

_Would you go with me if we were lost in fields of clover?  
__Would we walk even closer until my trip was over?  
__And would it be okay if I didn't know the way?_

"Mrs. Taylor, may I have this dance?" Mac winked. She smiled at him, and they danced.

_If I gave you my hand, would you take it and make me the happiest man in the world?  
__If I told you my heart couldn't beat one more minute without you, girl,  
__Would you accompany me to the edge of the sea, let me know if you're really a dream?  
__I love you so, so would you go with me?_

"Well, if everyone else is going to dance, Jessica, will you dance with me?" Flack laughed.

"Only since everyone else is," she answered, shaking her head.

_Would you go with me if we rode the clouds together?  
__Could you not look down forever if you were lighter than a feather?  
__Oh, and if I set you free, would you go with me?_

And so the couples danced, round and round without any cares in the world.

_If I gave you my hand, would you take it and make me the happiest man in the world?  
__If I told you my heart couldn't beat one more minute without you, girl,  
__Would you accompany me to the edge of the sea, let me know if you're really a dream?  
__I gotta know, would you go with me?  
__I love you so, so would you go with me?_

"I'll go with you," she answered.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

Flack, Danny, and Kelly were sitting at a table as everyone else had pretty much left. They were trading stories. Kelly had recounted some of her college stories which were mostly about her friends, and the trouble they got into.

"So then she says that she doesn't sleep around. She just has a lot of experience," Kelly told the guys.

"That's Niki, right?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, so then I say that it's like saying that I'm not failing class I'm just not succeeding, or that I'm not unemployed I'm just not working. It shut her up real quickly," Kelly laughed. "And then she punched me." The guys laughed. "So that started a fist fight."

"Who won?" Flack wondered.

"Me, of course," Kelly smiled. Then Danny took his turn telling a story about one of his minor league team mates. Flack told a story about one of his sisters, and they cycled through their best stories.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

"A week without Kelly," Danny shook his head. "I hope she's having fun."

"Bet Mac's real happy," Don laughed.

"I want to say something, but I don't think we should without Kelly there. It would take away all of the enjoyment of it," he told his best friend. He told him quietly what he wanted to say.

"Are you suicidal?" Flack asked. Danny laughed. "Saying that to them. You really must have a death wish." Danny smiled.

"Well, we could always call her and say that," he answered.

"Nope, she's in the mountains. No reception really," Flack answered. "Plus, she's not going to answer her phone. Would you in her position?" Danny shook his head.

"One week, eh? How bad can it be?" Danny asked.

"I don't know, but someone else will have trash duty," Flack laughed as Danny scowled.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Kelly, you're back," Danny said as he came back from the locker room with a fresh change of clothes (Apparently, the 'lovers' joke is not as funny as he thought).

"Danny, you smell like crap," she replied when he hugged her.

"Yeah, I got trash duty," he told her. "Mac didn't find my joke funny." She laughed. "Didn't your shift start like two hours ago?"

"I overslept. Our flight was delayed," she sighed. "I have pictures from some of the hikes. I hiked Long's Peak!" He could tell that she had been bursting to say that.

"Kelly, you're late," Mac told her when he saw the two of them talking in the hallway.

"Our flight back got delayed, and I overslept. Also I'm still on Mountain Time so what're you going to do about it? Give me a detention?" she asked, getting Danny to laugh. Mac didn't think it was that funny.

"No, but you can stay another two hours after your shift ends," he told her. She scowled once he left.

"Alright, I want to hear about the mountains," Danny told her.

"Well, we had some family friends up there in Estes Park so we went there. They have some pizza that'd give Ray's a run for his money," she told him. He scoffed. "So since it was Rocky Mountain National Park, we hiked a lot. Flattop Mountain and Hallett's Peak are next to each other. I hiked Long's as Hawkes didn't want to. We walked around town a lot. It's just a great place." She told him. He nodded.

"Sounds like fun, but I think you should've gone to Mexico," Danny laughed.

"Nope, I like mountains better," she answered. "As does Hawkes." Danny nodded.

"I have to get back to work. You want to help me sort through the crap?" he asked.

"Nope," she walked off to join her husband who was busy processing something.

**After Notes: I hope you liked that because those were some of my best lines. Some of those I have actually used like the weird one. That will get me through high school. Okay, I actually was in Estes Park, but I'm home now! And it is one of the most beautiful places in the world (Estes). I do hope to one day hike Long's Peak, but it is a very hard mountain. It's the tallest one in Rocky Mountain National Park. I did hike Flattop, but not Hallett's as I was too tired and just wanted to get down. It took two and a half to three hours to get to the top and for me about an hour to get down. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: lily moonlight, h-h-han, CSIMiami17, EverythingIsConnected, Bonasera, GregRox, luf100, Bmangaka, and Blue Shadowdancer! They are so awesome! Hope you have a fantastic day! :D**


	64. The One In Vegas

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY, CSI, or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: FRIENDS actually did one in Vegas, but it wasn't about a murder. Niki is CSIMiami17's OC. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? Like always, enjoy.**

**The One In Vegas**

"It's funny how the last time we had a case go to another city, we were all dating, and now we're all married off," Kelly pointed out. Mac nodded.

"And yet I still have to talk to you on every case. I guess some things will never change," Mac mumbled.

"Hey, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. It's you two's moment for each other," Danny told them. The look he got from the two of them was enough to make him want the earth to swallow him up which was impossible seeing as they were on an airplane.

"Does that rule apply to murder, Mac?" Kelly asked.

"Kelly, murder is never legal," he answered, laughing. "And neither are Russian poisons." Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Sure, here, but in Russia," she smiled. He just shook his head.

"You two just keep arguing like a married couple," that earned him an _NCIS_ style head slap.

"Don't be violent."

"You don't even know me," Kelly laughed.

"I beg to differ."

"No, please stop," Danny said. They chuckled.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Cool dos!" Kelly said when they got off the plane.

"Isn't that from _Juno_?" he asked.

"So you actually watched it?"

"Yeah, I did," he answered.

"Dorks," Danny mumbled under his breath.

"Just so you know one of my friends works here. Her name's Niki Foxx," Kelly told them.

"She like Caitie?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, but she's the one that has a lot of stories about me that I can't remember happening, and the one who convinced me to get a tattoo," she told them.

"You have a tattoo?"

"Yeah, but that's for another time. Just remember that half the time I was wasted in her stories. I had no control over what I did," she warned them.

"This really isn't giving me any more reason to respect you," Mac told her.

"I just want to warn you," she repeated. "Respect is something I never expected to have from you so we're good."

"How bad could she be?"

"You've never heard any stories, have you?" Danny asked.

"It was terrible. College, I mean, but it's over," Kelly finally said.

"And we have a case to work," Mac told her.

……………………………………………………………………………….

"So this is the Vegas lab?" Kelly asked.

"Remember what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," Danny mumbled receiving a glare from Mac and Kelly.

"This is the Vegas lab," Mac still had his duffel on his shoulder. Kelly and Danny had left their bags in their rented vehicle. They were greeted by an older man who was unshaven but still looked trim. He had glasses on.

"Gil Grissom," he said, his hand extended. Mac shook it.

"Mac Taylor, this is Danny Messer and Kelly Higgins, excuse me, Kelly Hawkes," he introduced them. They shook hands with him.

"Just got married a couple of weeks ago, I go by Higgins at work," she explained looking at Mac. He shrugged.

"Nice to meet you," Grissom told them. "This is the Vegas lab. And this is Nick Stokes." He gestured to the CSI walking their way.

"How you doin'?" Kelly asked in her new found accent. Mac gave her a look. Kelly smiled.

"I got the results on that trace," Nick handed Gil the results and walked off.

"Don't make me say it," Mac told her.

"Say what?" she asked innocently. He rolled his eyes.

"Kelly Catherine Higgins, you are married," Mac told her.

"I think my husband would be proud of my good taste in guys. Anyways, they don't make them like that in New York. Maybe Flack, but that's pushing it," Kelly answered.

"You are so shallow," Mac told her. She smiled proudly.

"You say I'm shallow when Danny's checking out some of the techs over there?" she asked. Mac rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," Grissom started. The CSIs turned their attention back to him though Danny had to be given a head slap to do so.

"Yo, Gruesome Grissom," a female CSI rang out. "Who's the hottie on the right?" She pointed to Danny who smiled. Kelly gave him a punch in the arm.

"Niki Foxx? I'd recognize that voice anywhere," Kelly said.

"Kelly Higgins, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" she asked.

"This is Danny Messer. You should meet his wife, Lindsay," Kelly told her. Niki just smiled.

"Hey, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," Niki answered.

"That's what I said to them, but they won't believe me," Danny pointed to the ticked CSIs. That comment earned him another head slap.

"The case," Kelly said.

"Alright, the team's in the layout room," Grissom led the New Yorkers to the layout room.

……………………………………………………………………………

"No way," Kelly said as soon as they filled her in on the plan. "There is one thing I will never do."

"Sleep with Mac?"

"Okay, two things I will never do. One is sleep with Mac. The other is cheat on Hawkes. They kind of coincide," Kelly told them.

"What happens in Vegas," Niki started.

"I know. I know. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," Kelly said.

"It's not like you are actually going to be cheating on him," Grissom told her.

"We need to take down this guy. Club owner and all that stuff," Mac stated.

"What about one of the Vegas people does this?"

"Niki's already doing this with you, and it's because I say so," Mac ordered. She scowled. He raised an eyebrow at that.

"Fine, if you weren't so good looking," she mumbled.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

"A'ight, Mac, we're in position," Kelly said. "You lose my ring, and you will wake up tomorrow very confused at the bottom of a lake."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Kells," he answered. She nodded and met her college friend by the bar.

"Want a drink?" Niki asked.

"A coke," she told the bartender.

"Still not drinking. Looks like AA actually worked," she answered. Kelly nodded. "But I know you too well. And we gotta talk. What is it with you and your boss?"

"Nothing," Kelly took a sip of her cola.

"Alright, if there's nothing, take a shot of tequila," Niki said, winking at the bartender who brought one.

"You trying to get me fired? I don't have to prove anything," she answered.

"Fine, I mean we all know there's something and…" Niki stopped because Kelly took the shot and downed it.

"You know I can hear your conversation," Mac said.

"Yeah, so I downed the shot, Mac. I'm proving a point," she answered.

"Yeah, and if you are hung over tomorrow, you know that I'll suspend you," Mac warned. Kelly nodded as there was a camera around somewhere.

"So, Niki, you dating anyone?" Kelly asked.

"Leggo my Greggo," she told her, laughing. "And I see that I wasn't invited to your wedding."

"It was small, and we just aren't as close as we were," Kelly answered. "Anyway, is he here?" She was talking about the guy they were trying to take down.

"Probably, he owns this club," Niki answered.

"Ladies, I couldn't help but hear that you are looking for Brian Summers," the bartender said.

"Yeah, we are," Kelly told him.

"He is over there by the DJ," the bartender pointed him out. "But good luck getting near him."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Niki said adjusting her outfit.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Kelly mumbled, but Niki dragged her over to the club owner. Kelly was not too excited about what they were going to do. "Mac Taylor, you owe me big time."

"As long as it's not like the last time," he answered in the microphone.

"Son of a gun, I don't want to know what that was," Niki mumbled to Kelly.

"Nothing, he just didn't do his job, and I got punched," Kelly answered. "So I made him wear his shirt a certain way."

"Sure," Niki answered. Kelly glared.

"Come on, we have a job to do," Kelly told her.

"Alright, so we just get him away from here, and we'll arrest him," Niki said. "So flirt because Danny says you're good at that." Kelly shot another glare.

"Ladies, would you like something?" Brian asked them. He had a suit jacket on with a casual shirt underneath and jeans. He was wearing a black cowboy hat. If he wasn't their prime suspect, she would've thought that he was hot.

"Well, couldn't help but notice that you're wearing a cowboy hat. It looks good on you," Kelly said, taking it off of him and putting it on her. "But I think it looks better on me." _I'm being a little obvious. _She could hear laughter in her earpiece.

"Well, I would like to buy you a beer, Miss…" he stopped as he didn't know her last name.

"Kelly Higgins, but I don't drink," she answered.

"I drink though," Niki told him. "Name's Niki Foxx."

"Pleasure is all mine," he said. Kelly shot a little glare. Even though it wasn't college anymore, Niki was still stealing Kelly's guys. But Kelly was the first of her friends to marry which was a shocker to them all. He took the hat off of Kelly's head and put it on Niki's. He and she went over to the bar. Kelly called it a night and went to the stakeout post.

"Well, hello," Mac told her. He was sitting there with Jim Brass, captain in the LVPD.

"She always got the guys," she stated after a long silence.

"Are you really complaining?" Mac asked, giving her back her wedding ring and her engagement ring since she wore both.

"No, I'm just saying," she replied, pulling her tank top down and putting her rings back on. "She do undercover a lot, Captain Brass?"

"Not really, we just couldn't get an undercover here soon enough," he answered.

"I thought you did okay. You're not on your flirting game though," Mac said.

"Well, you are just jealous that I wasn't flirting with you," she joked as she took a seat in the other swivel chair.

"Yeah, that's it," he answered sarcastically.

"And I can't really flirt with anyone, but you," she winked.

"You two do this all the time?" Jim asked.

"Yeah."

……………………………………………………………………………..

"LVPD!" Niki told Brian when he led her out into the parking lot. He turned around surprised.

"NYPD!" Kelly yelled with her gun drawn. She had her badge back on her waistband where it always was. Jim Brass was behind her with his gun drawn as was Mac.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"So how'd it go, Kells?" Danny asked when the three of them gathered around a table at a diner the Las Vegas CSIs liked.

"Great, I hate undercover jobs," she answered.

"Didn't you and Hawkes get together while on one?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "Not the point. I'm married, and I don't want to have to try to seduce a guy or flirt."

"And what you and Mac do is not flirting?"

"Whatever," she answered.

"How about a toast? To getting this guy off the streets," Mac said. They brought their coffee cups up and clanged them together.

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Kelly, get up!" Mac knocked on her door. He saw the Do Not Disturb sign on her door. What could she be doing that she didn't want to be disturbed? But he had put the same sign on his door. He took the sign and flipped it over.

_Mac, if you're looking for me which you probably are or else you wouldn't be at my door, I'm doing laps at the hotel pool. First floor. Down the hallway on the left._

He followed her directions to find her just as she said in the pool. "Higgins!" She stopped swimming and treaded water.

"You rang?" she laughed.

"Come on, get out of the water," he told her. She rolled her eyes.

"Just wanted to go for a swim," she answered when she came out of the water, dripping. "You aren't going to fall in, are you?" He scowled. "Can you hand me my towel?" He rolled his eyes.

"You have feet. Use them," he told her. She sighed but walked over to her towel. Rubbing her face with the towel, she turned around. Mac gave her a peculiar look.

"What?"

"Your tattoo is a rose?" he asked.

"Yup," she answered. "What were you doing staring at me?" She was only joking of course. "Especially there."

"You don't remember getting that tattoo, do you?" he asked.

"Nope, but you didn't answer my question," she told him.

"Just wondering what that red flower was. Is it wilting?" That made her laugh.

"You are just as shallow as me," she chuckled. "Mac Taylor, I didn't take you for one to be shallow." He rolled his eyes.

"I didn't take you as a flower type," he answered.

"I'm not, but I happen to like roses. And it just tells me that everything and everyone dies," she told him, pulling her shirt over her suit. She slipped her shoes on. "Why do we have these chats?"

"Don't ask me. You're the one who got wasted in college and got the tattoo," he answered.

"Yeah, yeah," she replied. "So what do you want?"

"We have to interrogate a suspect," Mac told her.

"Well, I need to shower which I don't need you for so can I go back up to my room, and I'll knock on your door in thirty minutes?" she asked. He nodded.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

"So we got him," Kelly told Danny.

"A'ight, Kells," he yawned. He didn't like getting woken up that early. It wasn't even that early.

"So we're all getting together at a bar to celebrate, want to come?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Okay, so, Kells, you going to have our shot contest?" Niki asked.

"Umm… well, I don't want to get suspended," Kelly said after Mac gave her a look. "Anyway, I always win the contests."

"Come on, Mac, you learn how to down shots from Kelly, you learn from the best," Niki said.

"Don't really care to watch my CSI get wasted," he answered.

"She'll sleep it off since our flight back isn't until tomorrow," Danny told him.

"Still, she knows the consequences," Mac told them. Kelly nodded.

"Plus, I don't want to get wasted," Kelly told them.

"You backing down from a challenge?" Niki asked.

"Umm… yeah," Kelly said after receiving a look from Mac.

"Wait, so where's your tattoo, Kelly?" Danny asked.

"Lower back," Kelly told him.

"What is it?"

"Wilting rose," _Mac_ answered.

"And you know this how?"

"Well, when we slept together obviously," Kelly was being sarcastic. "A tattoo is something hard to miss."

"You two slept together?!"

"No! If hell froze over… twice… maybe!"

"That soon?" Mac laughed.

"Which reminds me of what you told me before my wedding," Kelly said.

"Do tell," Niki smiled.

"So before my wedding, he and I are talking. So then he says something about _him_ being out of _my_ league. So then I don't say anything, but now I'm going to tell him that if anything, I'm out of his league," she told them. "And if I was with him, I'd be settling."

"Really? Is that so?" _he_ asked.

"Really, that is so," she answered.

"They do this all the time?" Niki asked Danny who nodded.

"Flirting and fighting," he whispered back.

"You really aren't helping yourself at all," Mac told her. "And you would be settling?"

"Fine let's settle this. Pool table," Kelly said making Danny laugh. "A game of pool. You win, and I will do whatever you want. I win, and you do whatever I want."

"Fine," Mac got up. "There's no way you can beat me."

"You're right, but I'm competitive," Kelly answered. They shook on the bet.

"Mac's about to get hustled," Danny whispered. Niki laughed.

"She as good as I remember?"

"Better probably," he answered.

"Okay, you want to practice first. I'll let you get in your rhythm," Mac told her. Kelly hid a smile. She took a cue.

"Whatever you want," she said purposely acting like she couldn't play worth a crap. Mac thought he'd have an easy win.

"Hope you like the smell of trash," he told her. "You shoot pool like this, you know?" He demonstrated the proper shot.

"I know how to shoot pool, and are you smack talking me?" she asked, hitting him with the pool cue playfully. "Mac, you can't out smack talk me."

"I'm thinking three months of trash duty give or take a month. I'm leaning on the give side," he told her.

"Mac, you have no idea what you just got into. I'll break," she said, sinking in a solid. "You're stripes, Mac, and you just got hustled big time." She sunk in another three balls before she narrowly missed one. He scoffed.

"But you forget that I can play some pool too," he told her before he expertly sunk in five striped balls. It was her turn again, but he had the lead.

"Did I tell you that I'm amazing?" she said sinking in the last three. "Eight ball right corner." It stopped right before going in.

"Oh, did you just miss that?"

"You go," Kelly told him. He sunk two in but missed the eight ball. The cue ball was in an awkward position to make, but she knew she could make it. The eight ball was by the left corner pocket for Kelly's shot. "Left corner pocket." She sat up on the table to put the ball in, which she did.

"That's an impossible shot," Mac finally said afterwards. Kelly had a smug look on her face.

"Yeah, well, I guess I should tell you what you're going to do," she said getting rather close to him. Added effect. "I'll tell you… in New York." She walked back to the table with a swagger in her step. He rolled his eyes but went back to the table a minute or so later.

"Mac, I can't believe you lost," Danny laughed.

"No, you can because he was playing me, and I don't lose bets," Kelly replied, also laughing.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Danny said while the two of them waited for him. Their flight left in three hours so they needed to hurry. "You two lovers chill." They glared, and Kelly almost punched him for that remark. "Alright, I'm here." He came out of his room. "Don't get all in a dither."

"Come on, the plane leaves in three hours," Mac told him.

"Yeah, yeah," Danny mumbled.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Home," Kelly said as they all got off the plane.

"We spent four days in Vegas, and nothing happened between you two?" Danny asked.

"Well…" they stopped and looked at each other. Danny walked ahead of them mumbling something about telling Stella and Hawkes. The two of them started laughing and caught up with him.

"You fall for it every time," Kelly laughed. "We're married. We wouldn't do anything, you idiot."

"I was going to say," Danny said.

"Say what? We would say the same about you," Kelly told him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Welcome back," the CSIs didn't seem too happy to see them back.

"What'd we do?" Kelly asked.

"Just I don't know, it's Vegas," Lindsay said.

"Nothing happened," the three returning CSIs seemed to say at once.

"That's not suspicious," Hawkes rolled his eyes.

"Oh, how did you know that we all slept together?" now Kelly was being sarcastic. "Come on, we wouldn't do that. Mac, do you want to know what you have to do?"

"What is that about?"

"We made a bet, and I won," Kelly answered her husband.

"Okay, Kelly, what do I have to do? Trash duty? Rookie duty?" he smirked.

"Nope, but we're switching rank for at least a week. I'm boss," she smiled. Mac had a real sour look on his face after that.

"No," he said at once.

"A bet's a bet, Macintosh," Kelly told him. Mac glared at her.

**After Notes: Did I insinuate something in my first set of notes? I hope you liked that. Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: luf100, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Bonasera, CSIMiami17, h-h-han, GregRox, Bmangaka, and dazzy-dreamer! They rock! Hope you have a fantastic day! :D**


	65. The One Where A Bet's A Bet

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Like always, enjoy.**

**The One Where A Bet's A Bet**

Day 1:

"Let's see, I have two case files and five CSIs," Kelly said, enjoying her new position. "Double homicide in Brooklyn and a body dump at the dump." She was smiling.

"Alright, who gets what scene?"

"Hawkes, Stella, Lindsay, you three get the Brooklyn scene. Mac, Danny, you two are with me at the dump scene, and, Mac, I'd get the trash suit on, you too Danny," she warned them. They scowled.

"Thanks," Hawkes kissed her on the cheek before they left.

"Kells, you can't have that in the lab," Mac finally said. "If you're going to be boss, you have to live to my standards." She scowled. "One week, Kelly, one week."

"So your standards. Does that mean I have to wear a tacky and stuffy suit to work? And have no life?" she dug.

"Harassment," Mac claimed, leaving the room to change. Danny soon left to get changed.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hold on, am I seeing this right?" Flack said when they got to the scene.

"Yeah, you are," Kelly answered. "A'ight, I'm going to take witness statements with Flack."

"Yeah, yeah," Danny mumbled. He was looking forward to Kelly not being in charge.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

"She is terrible!" Danny complained.

"No, she's just wanting payback. She's actually not that bad," Mac answered. "Unless you're us, and then she's terrible. Let's just get this evidence back to the lab."

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"I love her!" Hawkes said as they got to the scene.

"You would," Lindsay laughed.

"Of course he would," Stella mumbled when they walked under the crime scene tape. They met Jessica Angell who was standing near the door.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Mac, did you run those trace samples Sid collected from the body?" Kelly asked him. She was going to put him through all she could during her time as his boss.

"And you can't run them because?"

"I asked you to," Kelly told him. "And I'm the boss." She got close to him to intimidate him which didn't work seeing as she was several inches shorter than him. So it really only looked like she was going to kiss him which they both knew she wasn't going to do. He raised an eyebrow at this.

"You aren't intimidating me, you know," he took a step back.

"Crap!" she mumbled. "Well, you don't intimidate me either so get to work." She was definitely enjoying being boss. "Or I'll think of something that will intimidate you." She went on mumbling something about his looks.

"That's sexual harassment," Mac told her. She shook her head, rolling her eyes. "How's it on the other side?" She walked off. He smirked.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

"Wow, you look, well, wow," there was something in the way he said it that made her stop. He might have been telling the truth, but he was definitely trying something. She was wearing a nice pair of jeans with a casual shirt and a fitted leather jacket. If she wanted to, she could've worked it.

"Yeah, well, hold that thought," she said, putting on her baseball cap. "And, Mac, I don't think that you can tell me to take that off because as I've said before that takes us into strip forensics, and I won't go there even though you are incredibly good looking." He chuckled.

"That totally ruins your look, you know," he told her.

"Yeah, yeah," she took off the hat. "Part of the reason I became a CSI was for the wardrobe choices. Being boss has its perks."

"I hope you are enjoying it because you have paperwork to do, Kelly, and evals are due next week, but I have to do those. Oh and you move anything on my desk," he started.

"You'll do what? Come on, I wouldn't dare," she told him. "Just chillax." He rolled his eyes. "Trust me. I can do a good job running the lab." He didn't look like he trusted her. "Relax, Mac, what could possibly go wrong?"

"It's you, Kells, and that's a thought you should've held onto," Mac answered. "Because Murphy's law applies to you. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong."

"Thank you, Mac, but just remember who you're talking to."

"Never stopped you."

"So that's how you want to play."

………………………………………………………………………….

Day 2:

Mac propped his feet up on the table and leaned back in his chair. His point was to act _exactly_ as Kelly did and does. To push her to admit that she couldn't do a better job than him. Her goal was about the same. But she also wanted to annoy him while proving that she could do a good job. So her second day was going to be one for the record books. She came in wearing jeans and a casual shirt with her baseball hat.

"What's up?" she asked, chewing some gum. He stood up, glaring. She laughed, not caring how mad he was. He couldn't do anything. A bet's a bet.

"Just admit it," he said.

"Admit what? I still have five days, Macintosh," she told him. "So until then, you should really back off." She stepped around him to the coffee machine. "Really, I know that I look good, but you don't have to stare."

"I'm observing."

"Good line."

"I could care less how you look. It's what you do."

"Aw shucks, Mac."

……………………………………………………………………………

"Danny, Hawkes, you're both late to work," Kelly told them.

"Come on, it was like ten minutes," Danny whined.

"Thirteen minutes. And you two can stay that much after shift," Kelly told them.

"Ah come on, _Mac_, it's no big."

"Shut it! I don't want to hear it. You were late, and I don't care how much I like you two." The two guys looked at each other in shock.

"Fine,_ Mac_."

…………………………………………………………………………..

Day 3:

"Hey," Hawkes told her when she came home that night, no, that morning.

"I just came home to change and shower. I haven't even made a dent in that paperwork. I don't know how Mac does it," she kissed him then headed to the closet. "What were you doing up?"

"Waiting for you," he answered.

"I'm sorry about getting onto you yesterday. I had to as boss. I'm trying to prove a point to Mac," she answered turning the water on.

"By committing suicide?" he said, referencing her insane working hours. He suddenly pitied Stella.

"Nope, by winning," she answered.

………………………………………………………………………………

Kelly decided that she could still annoy Mac and look good. As boss she had to up her wardrobe so it was nicer. So she came in wearing a nice pant and the same maroon colored leather jacket she wore before. She actually fixed her hair instead of putting it in the normal ponytail.

"Wow, Miss Higgins," Mac said.

"That's how I do," she answered. "And I'm married." She winked.

"What did I tell you about the whole sexual harassment thing?" he asked.

"Funny, Mac, but you have some trash; I mean evidence to go through," she answered, handing him the file.

"If you dressed this way all the time, you wouldn't be half bad to look at," he told her, walking off. He turned around. "That's an insult, Kelly." She seethed as she tried to come up with a comeback which she couldn't come up with. It was a rare occasion. She walked to 'her' office. She leaned back in the chair and put her feet up on the desk. That was something she could get used to.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Day 4:

"Hey, you _can_ look good," Mac said surprised. Kelly ignored this as best she could which was hard to do for her. "Well, there goes all I held dear." She just about slapped him, but she held her cool.

"Wait, I'm the boss, and that comment was tacky," she told him.

"You wouldn't," Mac told her.

"But if Danny or Flack made that comment, I would," she answered.

"But still you wouldn't because you just wouldn't," he walked away. She rolled her eyes. That wasn't how she planned that to go.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Kelly stayed up working on the mountain of paperwork that somehow Mac managed to look like a slightly sloped hill. How he did it baffled her. And gave her a new respect for him. So many things she couldn't sign as she was only boss for a week. She just read through the paperwork. And looked at what Mac had already written on the personnel evaluations.

_Kelly, mind your own business!!_

She laughed. He would know that she would try to read them. She took the post it off the stack and leaned back in the chair, putting her feet on the desk.

_Kelly, I'm telling you to stop now!!_

She smiled and kept reading.

_Alright, you are about to get yourself fired, Kelly._

She stopped. _Fine, Mac, you win._ She closed her eyes and was awoken by a knock on the door what seemed like ten minutes later.

"You sleep here?"

"Oh, shut up, Mac, your chair is really comfortable which is a little odd," she laughed.

……………………………………………………………………………….

Day 5:

It was safe to say that Kelly was counting the minutes to getting her lowly CSI position back. She just wouldn't tell anyone that, especially Mac. She definitely had a new respect for him. He had to deal with a lot every single day. Right then she was staring him down in the hallway, trying to intimidate him. He was matching that stare. It made her uncomfortable how he could do that. She raised her eyebrows. He lowered his. She walked off, knowing she wasn't going to win the little contest. The bet, maybe.

"Two more days," he mumbled. She rolled her eyes but kept walking as she thought out the rest of the week.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"Alright, go with it," Kelly told Danny about his lead on the case.

"Aren't you coming with?"

"Yeah, I guess so," she said, standing up.

………………………………………………………………………………………

"Look who came out of the lab," Flack laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, do you have any idea how much paperwork there is?"

"You aren't allowed to do paperwork," Danny told her.

"I read through it," Kelly answered.

"So what have you made Mac do this week?"

"He's sifting through all the evidence from the dump," she answered.

"A bit cruel?"

"Yup."

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Day 6:

"We wrapped the case up," Stella told her. Lindsay was next to her. Hawkes was putting the evidence in the locker.

"Okay, good job," Kelly told them, leaning back in the chair.

"And?"

"What do you want me to say? I have nothing else to say or do. You guys did a good job. I'm not going to say anymore than that," she told them nonchalantly. She was so sick of being boss. She didn't know how Mac could put up with it. They left the office and she turned on some music. Kelly went back to the case file.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Day 7:

"Hat off in my lab," Mac told her at the end of shift that final day. She took it off rolling her eyes.

"It's the end of shift, Mac," she complained.

"I don't care," he told her.

"Fine. Well, night, Mac," she told him, walking off.

"I wouldn't say that," he told her, holding a piece of paper.

"What do you mean? What is that?"

"Schedule. We're working ten doubles in three weeks," Mac told her.

"Is that even legal?" she asked.

"Well, yeah, it is," he answered.

"But how? You're in charge of the schedule," she whined.

"It was done while we were in Vegas."

"Stella and Hawkes," she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, so I will see you here a lot," he told her. "Including tonight."

"Alright, alright," she groaned, putting her hat back on. He took it off of her head.

"Like I said, no hats in my lab."

**After Notes: Okay, how did you like that? Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: CSIMiami17, dazzy-dreamer, Bonasera, luf100, CountryGirl8, EverythingIsConnected, h-h-han, and lily moonlight! They rock! Hope you had a fantastic day! :D**


	66. The One Where Life Is Beautiful

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: I'm going to start wrapping this story up. Should be some drama in this. Very sad, really. I couldn't do what I'm doing to anyone but my OC as she's already been through a lot. Plus it was almost like a request from Bmangaka. Likes always, enjoy.**

**The One Where Life Is Beautiful**

_"What?" he asked angrily._

"_I just can't believe this!" she responded, her voice rising._

"_That I didn't like how you made me look like an idiot so I got revenge?" _

"_Oh because that was just so fantastically hilarious?" Kelly yelled._

"_Look, it wasn't my idea, and I'm sorry."_

"_Yeah, well, that doesn't excuse what you did."_

"_Of course it doesn't. It never does. You are so arrogant and egotistical," he told her. He paused for a moment, smiling._

"_What?" she was also smiling. _

"_I'm trying to remember why I married you," he told her. She rolled her eyes._

"_I'm still mad at you," she replied._

"_Well, of course you're mad at me."_

"_But that? Why that?"_

"_It wasn't my idea," he explained, but her brief lapse in anger was over, and she wasn't in the mood to listen. "Please, Kelly, don't make this about me."_

"_Then who is it supposed to be about?"_

"_I don't know, okay?" he told her._

"_Why'd you do it?"_

"_I don't know. It seemed like the best thing at the time," he answered. She glared at him. "I know, I know. I'll go." He walked out of their apartment. Five seconds. Ten seconds. Fifteen seconds. The door opened again. "Are we done? Can I come back in?" She smiled, which he took as a yes. He shut the door and walked over to her. He picked her up and kissed her._

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

_She woke up the next morning with her head on his bare chest. He kissed her forehead. "Do we have to go to work today?" He smiled at the childlike question. _

It must have been that night. She was sure of it. Especially after already making several trips to the restroom that day to throw up. It reminded her of when she came to work wasted. But instead of popping in another piece of gum, she was holding a test with a pink plus sign. She shook it, thinking it could change. _That ain't no etch-a-sketch. This is one doodle that can't be undid._

……………………………………………………………………………………….

"Kelly, you okay? You seem kind of distant," Danny told her.

"I'm fine," she told him. "Just a spot of the flu. I'll be okay in a few weeks. Have you seen Hawkes? I need to talk to him before I go to the doctor to make sure I really don't have the flu."

"Umm, no I haven't. You going to a doctor? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she answered.

"Okay, so are you going to go with us to get drinks?" he asked.

"No, I'm not feeling well hence the flu," she told him, irritated.

"Okay, no need to get mad at me. I'm concerned about you," he answered.

"I'm okay," she told him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

"Mac, have you seen Hawkes?" Kelly asked.

"He's out on a case, why?" Mac wondered.

"Husband/wife thing," she told him. "I'll talk to him later, but I need to go to a doc. I think I might have the flu." The more she told him the less he would ask.

"You going to a doctor? Kelly, you don't go to doctors," Mac stated astutely.

"If I have the flu, I wouldn't want to spread that around the lab, would I?" she told him. "Anyways I'm late." Could she be any more obvious? As far as she could tell, he didn't pick up on that. And she was going to be late for her doctor's appointment. "I got to go, Mac. I'll work the hours I miss when I can. I'm good to my word." He nodded, and she left.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

She walked into the office. She already knew the answer, but she went to the doc's anyways to be sure before she told her husband the news. After several tests and waiting a couple of hours, the doctor returned in.

"Well, Kelly," the doctor started. She looked up. "Congratulations. You're going to have a baby." Kelly smiled. A true, honest smile. "You and your husband should be happy." Kelly looked puzzled and then realized that she of course had her wedding band on.

"We are," she told him. "Well, we will be."

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Whoa looks like Fertile Myrtle came back," Mac whispered when he saw her working on trace alone.

"What?" she asked alarmed.

"You haven't told him, have you?"

"I don't remember telling you either. And that's not for lack of trying. He is out on a case."

"Au contraire, Kelly, you did tell me. I'm not as thick as your other friends," he told her.

"I didn't want you to know first so if you could just pretend you didn't then we will avoid a fight. And here are the results on the trace," she handed him the paper. "And I hate when you figure things out."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Hey, I heard you were looking for me," Hawkes told her. She took him inside the locker room. It was empty. They sat down with their backs against the lockers. "What's up?" She smiled.

"You remember that night when we were fighting two or so weeks ago, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," he stated, having a feeling where it was going but letting her tell.

"Well, wouldn't you know we're going to have a baby, Hawkes," she told him. He started smiling. "Looks like our lives are about to change."

"For the better," he pulled her close. "We're going to have a baby." He kissed her temple. "I think my parents might like you after all." She laughed.

"Can we get something to eat? I am starving. Stupid doctor," she mumbled.

"I think I might take offense," he said, getting up. He lent a hand to help his wife. "Seeing as I'm a doctor."

"Sorry, stupid general practitioner!" Kelly told him. He laughed. She took his hand and stood up.

"I'm going to be here for you. Every single step of the way," he told her.

"You're my husband," she laughed.

"And hopefully the father."

"That isn't even funny."

…………………………………………………………………………….

"Kelly, I need you at the scene with me," Mac told her. She got up out of her chair.

"Alright, hold your horses, Mac," she picked her kit up. "Alright, Mac, I'm coming." They took the elevator down to the garage.

"I'll drive," he told her.

"And kill my unborn child? Not going to happen," she took the keys from him.

"My driving is not that bad," he answered. She got into the driver's seat. He rolled his eyes.

…………………………………………………………………………..

"Whoa you two took a long time," Flack winked at Kelly. She glared.

"Shut up, Donald!" Kelly told him angrily. Mac smirked at her mood swing.

"Kelly, don't go all PMS on me," Flack told her, laughing. She glared at him again.

"These mood swings, Kells, take away any attractiveness you ever had," Mac whispered quietly enough so Flack didn't hear.

"Funny," she answered. They walked into the building where the dead body was. Kelly felt a little queasy.

"How about you take the perimeter?" Mac suggested. She nodded. She concentrated on the task at hand. She didn't hear the rattling in the closet. "Kelly!" She turned to Mac who had his gun drawn.

"Can't we catch a break?" she asked drawing her gun. Mac walked forward cautiously. Kelly was behind him.

"Stay back," he told her.

"Not going to happen. I almost killed you so I'm never letting you anywhere near death again hopefully," she answered.

"You're…" Mac didn't finish.

"Pregnant? Yeah, I know, but I'm also a cop. Open the door," she told him. He did so hesitatingly, and he had good reason. He was knocked to the ground by a suspect. Kelly noticed he had blood on him. He must have been the killer. She couldn't pull the trigger, though, when he came after her. Instinct told her to shoot, but she couldn't. She saw what happened in the warehouse with Mac, and she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. "Flack!" She was tackled to the ground by the suspect. She pistol whipped him as hard as she could. Mac wasn't getting up. The man, having heard what they had said before he was revealed, kicked her stomach. Kelly clutched her stomach as he fled. Flack, who had just come to the interior of the crime scene, tackled the guy and cuffed him. Kelly got up, feeling lightheaded and clutching her stomach.

"You okay, Kells?" he asked.

"Yeah, _I'm_ okay," she told him, not wanting to think of the other person who wouldn't be okay because of the actions. She looked over at Mac who was regaining consciousness. Flack led the suspect away as Kelly promised to get Mac up and out of the scene. "Hey, Mac, how's it going?" She smiled. He got up, one hand on the back of his head and the other pushing his body up.

"Ouch," he told her. She laughed. "You okay?"

"Me, I'm fine," she told him.

"I want you to get checked out," he said.

"I said I was fine."

"I know, but the other you I was talking to probably isn't," he laughed. She rolled her eyes but consented.

……………………………………………………………………………….

Hours later Kelly returned to the crime lab. She didn't make eye contact with anyone. She needed to talk to one person. She dragged him out of the trace lab. "Hawkes, I gotta talk to you. Something happened." They walked to the locker room.

"What is it?" he looked into her bloodshot eyes.

"We were at a scene, and then the suspect came out. And Mac, well, he tried, but the doctor just told me," she rambled, not making sense.

"Kelly, what happened?" she started crying.

"The docs said the baby was a miscarriage. I got kicked in the stomach, and the trauma must've done it," she had not cried this much since she had accidently almost killed Mac. He put his arms around her, not wanting to believe the truth. "Why does this happen to me?"

"I don't know, I just don't. Oh how I want to. But I know that we're going to make it through this," he told her, pulling her close.

"How?"

"We just will, and the most important thing to me is that you are alright," he whispered. She just shook her head. "And this guy's not going anywhere. He's going to go away for a long time. Never going to hurt us again."

"It's just how incredibly calm you are in this," she answered.

"I'm concerned about you."

"I know."

"You won't do anything stupid while I go talk to Mac about getting you the rest of the day off."

"I promise," she had a ghost of a smile on her face. He let go of her and left the room for a few minutes.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hawkes, where's Kelly?" Danny asked.

"At home," he answered vaguely.

"Wow, that helps a lot. I just want to tell her that I got tickets for the game," Messer told him.

"She's sick with the flu. When she went to the doc last week, it would turn out that she had the flu," Hawkes said.

"Well, I hope she feels better," Danny was a little skeptical.

"Yeah, I bet she will."

**After Notes: Sad, I know. Partly inspired by the movie _Juno_.But do tell me what you think. I tried for a little humor in it. But please review! I would like to thank my reviewers (who are incredibly awesome, and they all know they are): CSIMiami17, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, h-h-han, kaidiii, Blue Shadowdancer, luf100, Bmangaka, and xomgitslexie! Again they are incredibly awesome! Read their stuff! Hope you had a fantastic day! :D**


	67. The One With NCIS

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY, NCIS, or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: Sorry for the drama in the last one. I thought I'd go for a lighter one after it. This probably takes place a few weeks after The One With The Resolution and a week or so before The One With The Pride. This is a slight or not so slight crossover with NCIS so this is dedicated to Blue Shadowdancer as I know she loves the show. Like always, enjoy.**

**The One With **_**NCIS**_

It had been three weeks since they had saved Mac. Three weeks since Kelly and Hawkes took a break. And everyone was suffering. Kelly had been staying at Flack's while she looked for a place. She stayed there instead of at Danny's because Lindsay was at Danny's almost every night. Angell and Flack weren't that serious so he invited her to stay on his couch. And she took his offer, avoiding a hotel at the same time. All the while she regretted what happened, but she wasn't ready to forgive him. He made it perfectly clear that he didn't trust her. So why shouldn't she live up to his expectations?

"Kells, we have a case," Mac had been the one taking her out on cases. It was his way of thanking her for saving his life. He kept the bickering couple from each other.

"Aye aye, captain," she saluted, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Come on," Mac said, half dragging her out of the lab.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

"What's up?" Kelly asked, putting her hair into a pony tail. Flack looked at her.

"Homicide," he answered.

"Don't touch this scene," a commanding voice told them. Mac turned around quickly.

"And who are you to tell me how to process my scene?" Mac demanded.

"Special Agent Jethro Gibbs, NCIS," he told him, flashing his badge. Mac knew he didn't have a choice, but he didn't like the patronizing look he was receiving from this Jethro Gibbs. Kelly was now standing next to her best friend.

"I do hope they fight. That would be so sexy," Kelly murmured.

"That freaks me out when you comment like that about Mac," Flack answered.

"Yeah, but it would be pretty hot. Why do you think I like to fight with him so much?" she smiled.

"You like to fight, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, there's that," she answered. He laughed. They focused on what was happening between the two supervisors.

"Are you saying that I can't process a crime scene because that's what it sounds like?"

"Whoa, you two, there was a murder here," Kelly stepped in. "I don't think another one is going to help us. NCIS, it's your scene." It was never a good sign when Kelly was the calm one. "Come on, Mac, let's get out of here."

"You should listen to her. Smart girl," the man standing next to Gibbs added. Kelly didn't overlook his sarcasm.

"Whoa, what's with the sarcasm?" Mac and Flack looked at each other. Kelly was losing the calm appearance she had. That wasn't good. She would do something stupid like she always did.

"Look Miss whatever," he started.

"It's Detective Kelly Higgins," she introduced herself. "And you are?"

"Special Agent Tony DiNozzo," he said.

"Are you playing rank?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I think they like each other," Flack said to break the tension. The supervisors laughed. "Look, you two, we have a case to solve. Special Agent Gibbs, the scene is yours."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

After several minutes of talking, the two crime stopping forces agreed to work the case together. Neither was too excited after the slight altercation they had prior to that decision. A definite power struggle, but it was mainly Kelly who was struggling the most with taking orders from these guys. She took her normal spot when they went into Mac's office to discuss the case. She was sitting with her back against Mac's desk, holding some of the crime scene pictures. Gibbs and DiNozzo took the couches while Mac used one of the chairs next to his desk. Well, Kelly took this opportunity to sit on the corner of Mac's desk, risking being yelled at when the case was over. She could tell the NCIS agents were impatient with using science which was taking more time as the NYPD crime lab was precise.

"When are the squints going to be done?" Tony asked. Kelly laughed.

"So patient Mr. DiNozzo. The techs are doing their best," she answered. "And don't call them squints."

"Why not?"

"Because it's rude, and I don't want to feel like I stole that when I start calling them that," Kelly told him. She looked over at the lab and couldn't help but watch her not exactly ex. She glared at him even though he couldn't see her. She snapped back to reality when Mac repeatedly said her name. "What?"

"Earth to Kelly, we have a case to work on," Mac told her.

"Right, I think that once the squints are done testing the trace I should be right saying that it's in fact methanol from a cigarette," Kelly told him.

"You're not a smoker," Mac told her, questioning why she knew so much about them and alcohol too.

"Knew a guy," she answered. "He died."

"From smoking?"

"Nope, killed by a gang," she told them. "Unless I mean Jack because he died of lung cancer."

"Anyway," Mac said. "The case."

"Okay so assuming that I'm right which I am, we have a smoking killer," Kelly told them.

"How'd you get that?"

"Well, our vic didn't smell like smoke," Kelly answered. A knock was heard in the room.

"Indy, I ran into Adam, and he got the trace results," Danny told her. She looked a little confused at the nickname but nodded. "It's cyanide."

"Really? But that's also in cigarette smoke so I could always be right," she defended herself.

"But that big of a stain? Kelly, it must've transferred from the killer or else this Marine was planning something," Danny told her, giving her the file and walking out.

"Alright," Mac said.

"Cyanide poisoning. What are you CSIs going to do about it?" Tony asked. Kelly was up off Mac's desk in an instant. She did not like this Tony DiNozzo however good looking he happened to be. Tony got a slap to the back of his head for that comment. Kelly couldn't hide a smirk. Mac gave her a look.

"Track the stuff," Mac walked out of his office.

"I hate it when he does that," Kelly followed Mac, prompting the NCIS agents to follow.

……………………………………………………………………

"Adam, have you started tracking the chemical composition of the cyanide?" Mac asked. The tech nodded.

"It has to be tracked, and besides poisoning, it's found in fruit. But not at this concentration and the composition is different. So I'm thinking that it's insecticide. Maybe I can track it to a specific company," Adam told him. Mac nodded. Kelly leaned back against the middle table as Mac and Gibbs looked at the computers. She was joined by Tony.

"They call you Indy?"

"Yeah, I don't know how it started. You like movies?" she asked, making small talk. Gibbs let out a brief chuckle.

"You could say that," Tony answered.

"Somehow them looking at the computer reminds me of _The Day After Tomorrow_," she whispered.

"Yeah, it does," he answered. They continued talking about the only thing they had in common, movies.

"I got it. It's used to fumigate ships. Looks like there's only a couple of companies here in the city," Adam told them.

"Is there a company by the naval yard?" Mac asked.

"Breimer and Sons Fumigation Company," Adam told them, printing out the address.

"Higgins, you want to take this?" Mac asked.

"Sure, I'll take Movie Boy here," she told him, dragging Tony with her.

"Why are you taking me?" he asked.

"Because I can," she told him, her smile vanishing when she saw Hawkes talking and smiling with one of the female techs. She felt a pang of jealously thrust through her. She ignored it. He could do what he wanted. They were on a break after all.

…………………………………………………………………………..

"So what's up between you and that other CSI? Hawkes or whatever?"

"How'd you know?"

"I talked to Flack."

"I'm pretty sure that he thinks I slept with my boss," she laughed.

"You didn't, did you?"

"No, I would never. Why do you care?"

"I don't."

"Okay, let's just focus on this case," she turned the radio on. _Tattoo_ came on. She turned it to a country station. _No Love Songs _by _Chris Cagle_ came on. "Thank goodness! A good song." Tony laughed.

………………………………………………………………………….

"Alright we're looking for a guy who's been in a fight," Kelly told Tony who scowled.

"Thank you, Kelly, I didn't know that," he told her sarcastically. She grinned mischievously. She was enjoying this new guy now that he wasn't playing rank on her. Whether he actually was, was not something she'd admit. Maybe it was just an assumption, but that wasn't an important thing. The two of them walked into the business. It looked like any other business. It had a front desk and everything. The two officers ambled up to the front.

"What do you want?" the 'cheery' voice greeted them.

"Well, I was wondering if you could send someone else to fumigate our boat. Our guy didn't show up," Kelly lied. "Have you seen Rodney in?"

"No, we don't have a Rodney working here," the receptionist told her. "Who are you?"

"NYPD," Kelly answered as Tony said, "NCIS."

"What do you want?"

"We need to know if anyone's missed work today or has looked like they were in a fight," Kelly told her.

"There's David Henry. He came in late this morning with a black eye," the receptionist admitted.

"Where is he now?"

"Garage," and with that Kelly and Tony left that area and walked back outside.

"There's the garage," he told her. They walked in silently. "David Henry?"

"Who's asking?"

"New York's finest and him," Kelly ribbed Tony. Something 'surprising' happened. The suspect ran. "Can't they just stay for once?" Kelly then ran after the suspect as Tony kept up with her.

"See if you can cut him off," Tony told her. She took the hallway on the left, flashing her badge at anyone who tried to stop her. She did find the exit where she took a right and found the suspect coming at her. "Higgins, watch out!" Too late. Of course, she should've known that working a case with Mac would get her there. So as Tony handcuffed the fallen suspect, Kelly picked herself up off the ground. "Bulk up and you wouldn't have gotten tackled." He laughed.

"Funny," she felt near her eye. It was warm and wet. "Great, now they will insist I have to go to a hospital and get stitched up. And then I'll refuse. And then Mac will probably force me to which isn't fun. I hate doctors. There's a first aid kit in the car." They walked over there as Tony led the suspect. Calling patrol to come pick David up they just talked. Mainly about movies, and then they would tell David to shut it when he tried to add a comment. Kelly got the first aid kit out and helped herself to some gauze.

………………………………………………………………………..

"I didn't have to get stitches," Kelly told him when she got back to the lab. She had a butterfly connecting the two sides of the laceration. They did, however, give her a tetanus booster.

"But I did have to force you to go to the doctor. I swear when you go to a doctor voluntarily you are going to be pregnant or dying," Mac mumbled. "Probably not even then."

"I heard that, Taylor," she laughed. "And you're right because I hate doctors."

"You dated one," he pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah," she answered, walking out. She headed to the locker room and went to get her coat. She was going to meet up with Danny, Flack, and Tony at Sullivan's.

"Kelly," a familiar voice said. She ignored him. "I'm sorry."

"Oh you're 'sorry.' I could care less," she was spiteful.

"I am though," he stepped forward, and she stepped back and found the lockers. "Can't you see that for worse or for better we're better together?"

"You broke my heart," she told him.

"Do you think that was my intention?"

"I don't know, okay, Hawkes?" she asked as he was still closer to her. They both knew that if she wanted to move she could have. But that was the thing, _she didn't want to_. And then the next thing she knew, they were kissing as if nothing had ever happened. And she wanted it to be that way, but it wasn't that way. She broke it off. "I can't." She sidestepped. "I don't want to be used again."

"I didn't use you," he told her softly.

"Then what did you mean when you told me that you loved me? Because you sure as hell didn't mean that," she stormed out of the locker room, fighting back the urge to cry.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"So what happened?" Flack asked as they played pool.

"He kissed me," she answered simply.

"Was there tongue?"

"Is that all you guys care about?"

"Yeah," Tony answered for them.

"Yes, there was."

"But isn't it good? Don't you want to be back together?"

"It's complicated, Danny. I do, but he used me," she leaned over the table and analyzed her next shot. "Why am I asking you guys?"

"We're your best friends," Flack said.

"Yeah, but it's a cheater and then Flack," she laughed. The guys scowled.

**After Notes: Some drama for y'all. Sorry! Well, I hope that was funny! Please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: Bonasera, EverythingIsConnected, luf100, GregRox, Bmangaka, CSIMiami17, xomgitslexie, h-h-han, Blue Shadowdancer, and lily moonlight! They rock! By the way, I'm sorry if I butchered the **_**NCIS**_** characters. I've only seen like five episodes! Hope you have a fantastic day! :D**


	68. The One Where Death Hates To Be Cheated

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY (beg all you want it doesn't change a thing) or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together.**

**Notes: This one's for both lily moonlight and Blue Shadowdancer, but mainly for lily moonlight since she requested this. Like always, enjoy.**

**Thanks to lily moonlight for all the help with this one and for reading through it. **

**The One Where Death Hates To Be Cheated**

"NYPD!" Kelly shouted before Flack could. He gave her a look. She matched it. Twenty seconds later and there was no answer. Kelly took the honor of kicking the door in. The apartment didn't seem to be lived in by a guy. Especially a guy who sold drugs on the street. The two detectives searched harder. He could just be a guy who was in touch with his feminine side or had a girl that was playing _How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days_. It wasn't exactly a frilly apartment, but it wasn't a guy's place. The two detectives looked around as soon as they were sure there wasn't anyone in the apartment. Kelly looked in one of the rooms by a computer. There were manuscripts. _What the heck?_ She picked them up, using a latex glove. She flipped through them, catching names. Familiar names. "Flack! Get the heck in here!"

"You rang?" he asked huskily.

"You suck, but I found what looks to be manuscripts. And your name is in there," she told him.

"What? Don isn't exactly uncommon," he told her.

"Detective Don Flack isn't common though. And Mac's in here. I don't think that's a coincidence. I gotta call Mac," she told him, flipping out her cell phone.

"Yeah you two 'talk,'" Flack laughed. Kelly pushed him playfully. He staggered over almost falling down. She laughed.

"What the heck?" he rubbed his shoulder.

"Sorry," she mumbled, dialing Mac's number. She hung up a couple of minutes later after he said he'd be right there. And he was there as soon as traffic permitted.

"Alright, I'll run with this one."

"What the crap, Mac? Isn't that like conflicted interest? Let me work this. After all I found the scripts," she protested, but she, of course, didn't win.

……………………………………………………………………………..

"Mac, may I say that you look exceptionally fine today?" Kelly asked, putting her arm around his shoulder. The look she got was enough to make even her quickly retract her hand.

"What do you want?"

"You just assume that I want something?" she sounded hurt, but he knew her too well to take her seriously.

"I know you way too well to know that you wouldn't actually mean anything by what you said ergo you must want something," he told her.

"Okay, I want on the case," she replied. He rolled his eyes.

"No, Kells, I don't want you on this one."

"But it involves everyone but me so I think that I should be working it."

"How'd you know that involved more than just Flack and me?"

"I can read," she told him. "And I think that I should work it. Plus, Flack is in interrogation right now putting that guy behind bars. Case closed, Mac." He rolled his eyes. "Plus I'll just bug you incessantly if you don't let me."

"Incessantly. That's a big word for you," he said. She glared but ended up laughing at his joke. Mac just rolled his eyes and finally gave in.

…………………………………………………………….

The team had the manuscripts laid out on the layout table. Each of the members were looking at one or more of the scripts. Kelly was currently looking at two. One was called _Thorns_ and the other, _Don't Go Gently_. She was reading intently as the details were written so well that she couldn't put it down.

"Oh, Stella, you might not want to read this one," Danny was the first to speak. He was reading _Walk through the Shadows_. "And, Mac, you won't want to read this one."

"Why?" Stella asked.

"You two die," he answered bluntly. Suddenly Kelly started laughing.

"What?" Lindsay wondered what the heck she was laughing at.

"Mac, you remember when you fell off the dock, right?" she smirked.

"Yeah, I do."

"Okay, well you just fell off the Brooklyn Bridge. I wonder if you live. Doubt it though," she mumbled, chuckling.

"How is that funny?" Mac asked her.

"I don't know," she told him. "I just think it's a little funny. And I still have to look at this _Thorns_ one. But I'm beginning to think that they not only stalk you but also have a grudge against you."

"They?"

"Two different pen names."

"Okay, but the person could use different pen names."

"Switching after a few stories, not like a writer. And there are notes in the margins on mine using pen names. These are different handwriting," Kelly said, looking at the margins in _Don't Go Gently_. She turned into _Thorns_ to find other notes. "Aspiring authors stalking the team. Cool!"

"This is not cool," Mac reprimanded.

"For you guys, no, but for me, heck yeah," she told them. They rolled their eyes. "It's not like you guys are in actual danger."

"Actual danger? Kelly, look at what you're reading," Mac was losing his cool with her. "How don't you call that actual danger?"

"Well, I don't see any of y'all actually dying right here and right now. Anyways, it's only you and Stella affected so far," she said.

"Nope, Adam and Hawkes get caught in an explosion with Stella," Lindsay answered, looking up from _Fractured_. "Too bad Flack isn't here. Then I could tease him."

"We can always tease him."

"True."

"So far nothing's happened to everyone in this one, but it's a time period fiction so it couldn't happen," Hawkes looked up from _Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?_.

"Look, nothing's going to happen," Kelly said as Mac's phone rang.

"We have a scene," Flack stated into the phone when Mac answered.

……………………………………………………………………………

"_Somebody wanted to say it with flowers."_

Kelly started into the story. Mac had gone to that scene with Stella. Danny, Lindsay, and Hawkes were all looking at those stories. "Where was the scene?"

"Under the Brooklyn Bridge by Water Street," Lindsay told her.

"Holy frickin' crap," Kelly looked at the others.

"That's a new one."

"This isn't funny. Mac and Stella are at the same scene as described in the script. What if?"

"Kelly, it's probably just a coincidence," Hawkes assured her. "Just keep reading the story."

"And if it's not?" no one wanted to answer that question. Just like no one wanted to tell them what they knew would be true. So of course they would make Kelly do it. She was the only one who would stand up to Mac in an argument. It wasn't that she didn't fear him because she definitely was afraid of him. She just had a hard headed nature and was prone to winning fights.

"We'll wait for them to come back. Compare the evidence they collect to the story's evidence," Hawkes eased the situation. "Mac told us to keep reading these and see what's up with these stories. We have patrol at the apartment if they decide to come back."

"Shiftwork," Kelly said. The guys looked at her, thinking she had said something else. "It's a song by Kenny Chesney."

"Look, they'll be fine. Haven't you read past it?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, they'll get back to the lab. I'm just more worried about Mac."

"I knew it! You two do have something going on."

"Yeah, we actually do."

"Seriously?"

"No! I'm just worried because these two authors seem out to get him."

Danny coughed something that sounded like, "secret lovers." Lindsay gave him a head slap as Kelly couldn't reach him. He was sitting in front of her at the table. But he did get a kick in the shins from her. He groaned.

"What was that?" Kelly asked.

"Nothing," Danny grunted. Kelly smiled.

"That's what I thought, and if I was going to have an affair, I think I would choose someone outside of work," she told them.

"You never know. Stella and Hawkes could be out of the city on a case. It could be dark," Danny started.

"You could shut up," Kelly gave him a warning glare. "Because that will _never_ happen. How can you think that stuff?"

"It's easy," Danny told her. "All you do is-" he didn't finish that thought because Kelly gave him another kick under the table.

"Shutting up is easy too."

"Fine," Danny rubbed his shin.

"Alright, alright I think I got it down," Kelly mumbled. "Are you guys going to help me tell them?"

"No," the three of them chorused. She rolled her eyes. They never made it easy for her.

………………………………………………………………..

"Stell, will you take this wire and these roses to Adam? And then we'll go to autopsy," Mac told her. She nodded. After she left, Mac felt his pager buzz. It was Kelly. He walked into the layout room. "You paged me from across the hall?"

"I waved, but you didn't see me," she answered. He rolled his eyes. "No, this is really, really important, Mac. I think this case that you have is the same one as described in this story. You sent Stella to give Adam a wire and some lavender roses. Your vic's name is Lori Jacobs. She's 36. Her sister reported her missing two days ago. You go to autopsy, and you'll find out that Sid thinks that toxins entered from the thorns. And while you're down there, you'll get a call for another scene. Hank Johnson. He does something with trains. My point is that you two could be in danger." They were the only two in the room as the others took a break leaving her to the shiftwork- telling Mac their hypothesis.

"You sure about this? It could just be a coincidence."

"I knew you wouldn't believe me. Just carry on with the case. Bet I can solve it first."

"Alright, who did the deed?"

"Nope, it might just be a coincidence. You'll have to prove it," she mocked him.

………………………………………………………………….

_Maybe she's right. And it's just coincidence that the second victim's name is Hank Johnson? Maybe we shouldn't be working this case_. Nevertheless, they drove on in silence from the scene back to the lab while he stole an occasional glance at Stella. The silence was interrupted by a cell call. Mac said a couple of yeahs and okays. He gave Stella the new directions because they had yet another body.

"_I don't like where this is going, Mac."_

"_Nor do I. If this is a serial…"_

"_Let's see what we get at the scene."_

………………………………………………………………………..

"Thanks for the support, guys. They are at another scene. Flack called to say that Russ is the detective on the scene. I like Russ," she told them absentmindedly.

"Yeah, but how's the story coming?" Danny asked.

"Mac's meeting Stella somewhere. And I think something's going to happen to him," she delved back into the script, eager to find out what happened.

"So what did he say?"

"That it was probably a coincidence. I think I'll kill him."

"You already tried," Danny said the worst thing he possibly could. Kelly gave him a- if you mention that again I will kill you and hide your body- look. She was dead serious.

"Say that again and you won't wake up. Do you think that I'm just going to let him die?" she was reading as she said that.

"No."

"Alright, now Adam says that he found out the type of flowers. They're the same as they are here. Some prissy rose from England. He says that it was home grown. He called Mac and gave him the info," Kelly told them.

"Aren't you a romantic?"

"It takes a special rose to get my attention. Now I still have a lot more to read. Nice," she commented talking to the book.

"What?"

"Mac's missing."

"What's new?"

"True, but I need to warn him. After all everything about these cases is the same. I wonder if the apartment owners have come back."

"Wait no longer," Flack walked in with a stride. "Interrogation. You, me. Call it a date." He winked. She laughed.

"I think I should do the interrogations. After all, they don't know me," Kelly made sense.

"Fine, but I'll be behind the glass so you don't kill them."

"I would do no such thing. And it's torturing not killing. I mean it is an interrogation _completely _by the book," she smirked at her 'faux pas.'

…………………………………………………………………………………

"Alright, Rose Dawson's in one room, and Kathy Griffin's in the other," Flack told her.

"You know those aren't their real names, don't you? Rose Dawson is the name of the girl in Titanic and Kathy Griffin is dating one of the Apple founders," she told him.

"I didn't take you for a pop culture person."

"It is amazing what is showing when you can't sleep at one in the morning."

……………………………………………………………………………..

"Miss 'Rose Dawson'," Kelly started, using air quotes. "Do you know why you are here?"

"I don't know. I was coming home from a trip with my roommate to New Jersey," 'Rose' answered. Kelly laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, you're just British. What is a Britain doing in New Jersey?"

"And you're just American. I have friends in New Jersey. You can call them. They'll verify my alibi. I didn't kill anyone."

"I never said this was a murder investigation. Guilty conscience?" Kelly asked, placing the file on the table.

"No, but why else would I be here. You had officers at my apartment, and my stories are gone."

"That doesn't mean that this is a murder investigation. But I want to talk to you about your stories," Kelly started. "Do you know who I am?"

"I can't say that I do. Why should I know you?"

"You stalk my coworkers and write about them, and you don't know who I am? Thank you so much," she was being honest. She didn't want to have a price on her head like the others seemed to have.

"You're welcome? Stalking? I don't know what you're talking about," 'Rose' stated.

"Please," Kelly drew out that word, making it long and rather skeptical. She took out some pictures of the scripts. "What's this? And what's this?"

"I don't know what those are. I've never seen them before," she lied.

"You just said that your stories were gone," Kelly was 'going in for the kill.'

"They are. Those aren't them," she pointed to _Fractured_,_ Shattered_, and _Don't Go Gently_.

"Oh right. I had the wrong ones out. These are them," Kelly pulled out the evidence pictures of _Lost Letters_, _Thorns_, and _Falling Leaves_. 'Rose' was trapped in her lie, but she wouldn't say anything else. She pleaded lawyer. Kelly shook her head and left the interrogation room, knowing that she couldn't say anything else. At least they could keep her in holding.

……………………………………………………………………..

"'Kathy Griffin'," Kelly again used air quotes. "I'm…"

"I know who you are," she was told. "Detective Higgins." Kelly had a blank expression. _Kinda creepy. Maybe I should get Lawson in here to do this._ "I know about you." Kelly was just a bit nervous. It was just a little uncomfortable. But Kelly got on with her job.

"Do you know why you're here?"

"I know."

"Care to share?"

"You found my stories."

"Yeah, we did, and I for one am a bit concerned about it. Some people call it stalking." _I wonder if it's one of those some call it stalking, but I call it love case. _Kelly smirked.

"And are any of those people here?"

"Yeah, me. So why'd you do it?"

"Yours is a question with many possible answers," she told Kelly. "Why don't you prove to me that the sky is blue?"

"I can't. My blue isn't necessarily your blue, but this is an interrogation. What you did is immoral…"

"And what, Detective Higgins, is the definition of immoral."

"Philosophy. Funny, but you are going to be charged with at least accomplice to murder," Kelly told her, looking her dead in the eyes. Then the inevitable happened. 'Kathy' pleaded lawyer just like her roommate.

………………………………………………………………

"You know she's kinda cute," Flack told Kelly.

"Who?"

"Does it matter?"

"You are such a player, Flackey Boi."

"Whoa, are you using Mac's nickname on me? I feel honored," he winked. She rolled her eyes.

"Well, I need to talk to him. You should get Lawson interrogating them. This 'Kathy' is kind of freaking me out. Anyways, Mac should be back by now and must realize that I was right," Kelly left the precinct for the lab.

…………………………………………………………………

"Mac, now do you believe me?" Kelly asked when she got up to his office.

"Yes, and I'm dealing with this. I heard you interrogated them, and they cried lawyer," he answered.

"Yeah, well I can't win them all. But what are you going to deal with this?"

"I put Danny and Hawkes on the cases. If another case comes up that matches one of these stories, then we'll switch it up so the case won't match it. Problem solved, okay? Now, we need to work on getting a case on these two authors," Mac told her.

"Yeah, I know, but it's very coincidental. And it could be seen as them trying to help the cops because they know someone who told them about what they were going to do," Kelly sighed.

"I know. This is all hands on deck, Kelly," he said.

"Alright," Kelly got up. It was going to be a long night.

………………………………………………………………………….

_Shift work, hard work, tired body  
__Blue-collar shirt and a baseball cap  
__Union Made_

They all had gone to Mac's office to discuss the case as Hawkes and Danny were following the evidence, hoping that it would lead the same way the story did. Kelly sat on the corner of Mac's desk while he sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Lindsay and Stella took the couch.

_He's hot, sweat drops, 'round the clock  
__Door never locks  
__And the noise never stops  
__Not all day  
__Work seven to three  
__Three to eleven  
__Eleven to seven_

They were again reading the stories. Everyone was referring to the current case to maybe find a clue amidst the collection of stories. Kelly was still reading _Thorns_ to see how they catch the guy. For some reason she kept going back to Adam's results on the flowers and to what she said to 'Rose'.

_Shift work, hard work for the busy convenience store clerk  
__Two feet that hurt, going insane  
__She's mad at some lad  
__Drove off and didn't pay for his gas and he won't be the last  
__Round the clock pain  
__Work seven to three  
__Three to eleven  
__Eleven to seven_

Mac was focusing on the story _Fragments_, hoping to find a clue.

_Well I work, shift work  
__Ten years, man, I hated that work  
__Then I made a break with the money I saved  
__It took me to the beach to have a beer by the edge of the sea  
__And this 'round the clock place  
__I drank my money away  
__We partied  
__Seven to three  
__Three to eleven  
__Eleven to seven_

Stella concentrated on _Falling Leaves_, thinking that the link might be there.

_Talkin' about a bunch of shift work  
__A big ole pile of shift work  
__Seven to three  
__Three to eleven  
__Eleven to seven_

Lindsay contemplated _Don't Go Gently_, thinking that the link would probably be hidden in some sort of metaphor.

_Talkin' about a bunch of shift work  
__A big ole pile of shift work  
__Seven to three  
__Three to eleven  
__Eleven to seven_

Kelly remembered something suddenly. She found a copy of the report on Mac's desk.

_Seven to three  
__Three to eleven  
__Eleven to seven_

"Eureka!"

"Great, she's saying Eureka again," Mac muttered wryly.

"I think I can link them to the crime. Well, I can link 'Rose', and as soon as we can get her prints, we can see if we can find prints on the flowers."

"Okay, first, what the heck?"

"The flowers are some sort of British flower, and she's British. It's not much, but it might get us somewhere," she explained.

"Alright, let's run with it."

…………………………………………………………………..

"So it's just some flower?" Mac asked.

"I'm not really a flower type of girl," she answered.

"I'm not surprised," he laughed. "But not really? That insinuates that you can be a flower girl."

"I'm not a flower girl if it's from my boss. I like roses as you know from my choice in tattoo," she answered, laughing. "I don't mind them every once and a while." They continued to look for what they came for in the first place.

"Okay, I think I found it," Mac said, fingering a flower with his gloved hand.

"There it is. The ridiculously hard to pronounce flower is right there. I think this might be enough for a warrant," and it was.

…………………………………………………………………….

"I presume you have evidence suggesting that my client had something to do in the deaths," 'Rose's' lawyer stated when Kelly walked into the interrogation room.

"I do," Kelly answered, sitting down. "Chemical analysis told us that the flowers you grow are the same as the ones left on the body of Lori Jacobs. We found your prints on the flower petals."

"That doesn't mean anything. Anyone could've taken the flowers and put them on the body."

"Funny because you're almost right. Your roommate might be able to explain why we found her skin cells on the wire, meaning she helped you with that."

"She wasn't there," 'Rose' spoke for the first time in that interrogation. Kelly glanced back at the interrogation room where Mac and Stella were watching the interrogation.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"That this sullies the good name of creepy," Stella answered. Mac smiled.

"I think that this really is just too into my personal bubble," she laughed.

"Personal bubble? I don't think I've ever heard you say that, Mac."

"Yeah, but I think I'm going to think twice before I read again. This case makes me feel very uncomfortable."

"Me too," they turned their attention back to Kelly who was wrapping it up. 'Rose' didn't say anything else. It made Kelly very frustrated.

"Oh well, you are going to go away for a long time," Kelly took the case file and walked out. A patrol officer came in and handcuffed 'Rose.'

…………………………………………………………………

"Good job," Mac told her.

"I don't like this case," she answered, walking over to the other interrogation room where 'Kathy' was. She walked in while Stella and Mac again watched behind the glass.

"What do you have against my client?" the lawyer asked. Kelly hated lawyers. They made her job very difficult.

"Her skin cells on a wire surrounded by roses with her roomie's prints on them," she explained.

"That's circumstantial," the lawyer answered. Kelly groaned.

"The judge didn't think so," Kelly told him. 'Kathy' didn't say anything. She just watched the interrogation. "If you testify against your roommate on the killing of Hank Johnson, we can make a deal." 'Kathy' still said nothing. "Alright, I offered, and you declined. You are still arrested for conspiracy to commit murder, and you will be tried as an accomplice to murder." She walked out telling the patrol officer, "Book him, Dano." And that was it. Case closed.

**After Notes: Alright. That was my twist on **_**Thorns **_**by lily moonlight. It is an amazing story. I recommend you reading it. And all the other stories I mentioned are amazing. Hmm. Did you know who Rose and Kathy were? I don't think I was being subtle at all. I still think that all the cruel cliffhangers are plotted by both of them because they all just 'happened' to be at the same time. And one last thing before I thank everyone. The one after this will be the last one shot for TOW. I would like to thank my reviewers: h-h-han, luf100, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight (thanks again!), xomgitslexie, Bonasera, Blue Shadowdancer, and Bmangaka! They rock. The songI used (so I don't forget) is _Shiftwork_ by _Kenny Chesney._Hope you had a fantastic day! :D**


	69. The One With Seven Beers And A Cola

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY or the FRIENDS storylines. Wish I did, but sadly that cannot be. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. Why aren't they, you ask. Well, the answer is simple. I do not own CSI:NY. **

**Notes: This is it, the last one. I loved writing these, and I've loved all the wonderful review. This one shot is dedicated to my brother as he is starting college. It's dedicated to my uncle who is in the hospital again. It's dedicated to my friends who've been supportive of me through everything. It's dedicated to my ninth grade class. And it's dedicated to every single person who has read this and reviewed and even to the people who haven't (it's not too late). Like always, enjoy.**

**Thanks to lily moonlight and luf100 for reviewing since the beginning! You guys rock!**

**The One With Seven Beers And A Cola**

A sad sight lay before them. It was another all hands on deck case. Homicide at Central Perk and high profile at that. Stanley Idle was working under the DA. He was the unfortunate victim. Kelly and Hawkes walked up to the tape to see Mac already processing the scene. A young patrol officer stopped them. They showed their ID's.

"You arrived together," the officer mumbled, not hiding that he didn't want this crime scene compromised.

"We're married. It's kind of how it works," Kelly answered. They walked under the tape. "Where's Stella?"

"I'm letting her sleep."

"Thanks for extending the courtesy," she mumbled under her breath. "So what do we have?" Mac looked at her in a way that was almost skeptical that she was asking that.

"Murder," he told her.

"Well, obviously, but who's the vic?"

"Stanley Idle, the DA's secretary," Mac answered. Hawkes knelt be the body, using his ME knowledge to judge the COD. Kelly smiled because she knew how much he was in his element.

"I have to have a high self esteem when he does this."

"Does what?" Mac asked.

"Ditches me for a dead body," she laughed. She then went over to the couch in the middle of the coffee house and began to process. Several minutes later Stella arrived and started with the perimeter while Mac processed around the body, and Hawkes released the body to the ME's. Thirty or so more minutes and Danny and Lindsay came. "Look who finally decided to show up."

"Oh, I see how it is."

"Bring it," Kelly taunted him.

"It is way too early in the morning to fight," Mac warned. "Focus."

"Alright, I will if he does," Kelly laughed.

…………………………………………………………………………..

"Mac, I ran the prints on the coffee mug like you asked, and a Gunther came up," Adam told his boss.

"Is there a last name for this Gunther?"

"None listed. He was arrested for DUI, and he just doesn't have a last name," Adam said. "Flack brought him in. And I'm running the hairs Kelly found on the couch. So far all I know is that three are female, and three are male. One of the males is the brother of one of the females."

"Thanks, Adam," Mac took the results and went to the elevator to head to interrogation. "Kelly!"

"What up?" she asked as she turned away from a conversation with Danny.

"Interrogation."

"A'ight, let me get a water bottle. Hottest day of the year and all."

……………………………………………………………………………..

Flack stood outside the interrogation room, cooling off. It was one of the hottest days that summer. Blackouts were occurring across the city. He decided to call Mac because he wanted to make sure the lab rat had told him that they had a suspect.

"Taylor."

"Mac, you coming to interrogation?"

"Yeah, Kelly and I are on the elevator. Be there as soon as we can," Mac hung up.

"Why am I coming again?"

"You weren't working."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," she answered wittily. She looked up at the ceiling then back at the closing doors. "Watch the power go out." It was a sarcastic remark.

"Don't jinx it."

"It's us. If anything can go wrong…" she started but stopped because, sure enough, the power went out. "It will go wrong." They sighed. "Seriously?"

"You have got to be kidding me."

……………………………………………………………………………..

Flack waited impatiently for Mac and Kelly. They should've been there by then. He sighed loudly and walked into the interrogation room because he simply couldn't wait any longer.

"Gunther," Flack greeted him.

"Yes," he answered calmly, contrasting with the sweat forming at the top of his brow.

"Your prints were found on the coffee mug with our victim's DNA on it. Care to explain?"

"I serve coffee at Central Perk, Officer, of course my prints will be on there. With all due respect," he rubbed the back of his head nervously. Flack stared him down which made Gunther sweat more.

"You're right, but I want to ask you something. Is there a group of regulars that come in? Six people. Three men and three women," Flack came around the suspect and pushed a picture in front of him of a hair they found.

"There used to be a group a few years ago. They were in yesterday," Gunther told them.

"I'm going to need names," Flack slapped down the notepad. The pen soon followed.

…………………………………………………………………

Her button up shirt was already off. She just kept her cammi on. It was almost superfluous to do as she was pacing in the elevator. The pacing was driving the other occupant insane. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.

"Stop it," Mac told her. She didn't.

"I can't. Here we are stuck in an elevator when we're supposed to be in interrogation. Not to mention that it's the hottest day in ten years, and the power's out hence the stuck in an elevator!" she lashed out. The lights flickered, but they stayed off.

"Generator's kicking in for the lab. The power won't come to here as we have the only generator in the building plus it's only going to last for about ten minutes because it's there so the techs can get the evidence back to the lockers," Mac sighed. It was going to be a long day.

…………………………………………………………………….

"Where the heck are they?" Flack asked Angell as he sat down at his desk.

"I don't know where they are. I bet they are trying to get here," Angell put her hand on his arm.

"Well, what if something happened?"

"Come on, nothing will happen."

"It's Kelly and Mac. If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong," Flack answered. "With their luck anything can happen."

"True," Angell squeezed his arm and walked off. She had paperwork to do.

………………………………………………………………..

"Alright, I almost have it," Adam said as the computer searched through a print from the table. The generator kicked off. The screen was blank. Adam had half a mind to yell at the computer, but he didn't want to look like a fool in front of Stella and Hawkes.

"Well, you tried. We can get the result when the power comes back on," Stella reassured him.

"At least, I'm not Mac and Kelly stuck in that elevator," Adam mumbled. They turned.

"What?"

"Well, they were going over to the precinct, and the power went out right after they got onto the elevator," Adam told them.

"Only they would have that luck," Hawkes mumbled.

……………………………………………………………………

"I'm telling you, Kelly, that the _X-Files _could never happen. It's scientifically impossible to say that there are other forms of life on another planet," Mac told her adamantly. She tossed him the water bottle that was rapidly heating up.

"That's not what I'm saying. I agree that the chances of having other intelligent life on another planet are too slim to be realistic. I know all the circumstances of a planet being inhabitable. But I'm saying that our luck is definitely controlled by something or someone supernatural," Kelly explained.

"Alright, I might agree with you on that," Mac told her. He passed back the community water. She took a swig.

"You want the last of this water, Mulder?" she asked slyly.

"Now you're going to call me Mulder?" he smirked.

"Yeah, if anyone I know could be compared to Mulder, who is pretty much incomparable, it would be you," she told him. "Fox Mulder is brilliant."

"You know he's a TV character, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I'm allowed to watch TV, and _X-Files_ is only on like really early in the morning so I don't have shift, and it interests me," she told him.

………………………………………………………………

"Stuck in an elevator?! Kelly Higgins, what the hell are you thinking?" Flack was frustrated.

"First, what is the best way to kill you? Second, that I hate elevators," she answered calmly. "How's the interrogation going?"

"We got names. We're searching through the database to get their addresses," he told her. "You two okay in there?"

"It's pretty hot. I mean the temperature, Flack," she made sure he got that. "But never mind me, how's my favorite detective?"

"That means a lot, ya know. Well, I'm sweltering in this heat," he told her.

"At least you have power."

"But the AC's out," he sighed.

"Cry me a river," she mocked him.

"Oh, go hug a tree," he hung up. If he had still been on the phone, he would've heard her laugh at him.

"So what's the verdict?"

"The power's out at the lab, and they got stuck in an elevator. It's unbelievable how many situations they get into without doing anything," Flack told his girl.

"Nah, just unlucky. They might just be the definition of Murphy's Law," Angell smirked.

"Probably," Flack answered. "We got anything since we have to run the names?"

"Not yet."

……………………………………………………………………………

Gunther sat in the holding cell. He thought about what he'd done. How he had sold them out. They weren't exactly friends of his, but they had a sense of familiarity to him. He almost felt like he betrayed them. But he remembered that it would mean seeing her again. He had always loved her since the moment he saw her. She may have been the worst server for the coffee shop, but to him she was gorgeous. And then she met him. And then he cheated on her. But years later after having his kid she married him. Gunther was sickened. She never noticed him. He hinted at what he wanted, but she ignored him. And now she was happily married to that guy. Nothing would change that. He wiped the sweat off his brow. He wiped his sweaty hand on his trouser, not taking into consideration the invisible or not so invisible trace he left as a result of his action. But it wasn't as if he actually did anything, was it?

…………………………………………………………………………

They were certainly busy getting the significant others out of the trouble they had inadvertently gotten themselves into. Murphy's Law, they hypothesized. Hawkes was talking to one of the guys who was working on getting the power back up and running.

"Look, my wife's in there," Hawkes was getting frustrated.

"She should be fine, sir, we should have the power up soon," the guy told him. Danny, Lindsay, Stella, and Hawkes had gotten out of the lab.

"I'm just saying that they've been in that elevator for four hours now."

"We're trying to get the power up. Now, if you would excuse me, I have a job to do."

………………………………………………………………………….

Kelly Higgins-Hawkes looked up at the ceiling. There was a possibility of using the escape latch, but what good would it do to not be able to get out? Then she had the recurring problem of her bangs falling into her field of vision. Not that she could see much anyway because the only light source consisted of two cell phones, two dying cell phones. She wiped the sweat forming on her brow. She was really starting to wish she had called in sick that morning.

Mac wasn't doing much better. His dress shirt had been shed because it was already high nineties in the elevator. He also thought about having Kelly get out through the escape latch. But with two dying phones, she would have no light, and, therefore, that plan was futile. "What were you going to be before you switched majors in college?"

"A veterinarian," she answered blankly. Mac fought to suppress a laugh.

"You hate animals," she knew he was talking about a case a few months before where she ended up on the ground under a large dog. She was not too thrilled about having to get a rabies vaccination. And she still blamed Mac because, of course, they worked that case together.

"My parents wanted me to be some sort of doctor like them," she sighed.

"You could've said no," Mac told her.

"Do you know where Mockingbird Lane is in Dallas?" she had an edge added to her voice.

"No, I don't."

"That's what I thought. You don't just go against your parents there. My parents were great and stuff, but you did what they wanted you to do. I didn't have a choice," she answered. "That way I didn't have to pay for my college education. And that way I was set for life."

"You don't sound enthusiastic."

"I could care less about money. I worked through college after my parents died. I haven't touched the inheritance. I don't care to. I'm happy."

"You don't seem happy."

"Well, don't you know everything about me? Look, I don't want to talk," they sat in silence for several minutes.

"You're right."

"I know."

"Humility doesn't suit you, does it?"

"I think I've been humbled in my life," she sighed, sinking down lower against the wall.

"Yeah, you have. We all have humbling experiences," he mumbled.

"Like you in Beirut," she said softly.

"Yeah," and Kelly knew not to ask more than that.

"Think it'll be soon?" she asked.

"It has to be," Mac answered.

"Willing to bet on it?"

"No, I don't think I will, Kells. You hungry?"

"Yeah, but we have no food," she laughed. "I think I'm going to go to Ray's after we get out, grab a bite of some pepperoni, and go to the precinct." She looked up again at the emergency latch that was barely visible in the light of the phones. "I bet Flack's eating. He's always eating." That got a small chuckle out of Mac. "That's why when we get together for friends dinners we go to Danny's mom's place. She makes the greatest food. And Flack is actually full by the end of it." That got another chuckle out of Mac. "I wonder when the power will come back on. In Texas, the power would never be out this long. Only a couple of times it was out overnight."

"Probably soon, Kells," he was hopeful. They both were. The lights finally flickered and stayed on, something that hadn't happened in the four and a half hours they were stuck in there. The elevator went down to the first floor. Kelly picked up her button down shirt, not quite putting it back on. The AC was running again, but it still felt like an inferno. Mac picked up his button down shirt. "Phone." She turned and caught her phone as he tossed it to her. He pocketed his phone. The doors opened. "Ladies first." She laughed.

"Thank you for such a chivalrous act," she was smirking. Mac pushed his arm through a sleeve. _Such a waste of the hottest day of the summer to wear a shirt over his undershirt._ She walked out. "It's almost cooler out here." It was an obvious joke since it was over one hundred degrees.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"Come on," Adam said, his computer up and running. "Give me the names." His phone rang. "Adam Ross."

"How's my favorite little lab rat?" Flack laughed.

"What do you want?"

"We got the names," Flack listed them for him.

"Thanks. I'll see if they fit the DNA profile," Adam hung up. Only one of the names was in the system. She was in for some really strange things. He picked up the phone and called Flack.

……………………………………………………………………………….

"So this is the place of last known address?" Flack and Angell walked up to the door of an apartment. It was above the crime scene.

"How quaint," Angell muttered. She knocked on the door. "NYPD!" They waited in silence as they heard slow movement on the other side of the door. They weren't worrying that the suspects were fleeing at that speed. The door opened, revealing an older- than they expected- woman.

"Miss Phoebe Buffay?" Flack asked. The lady laughed heartily. The two detectives were stumped.

"No, I am not Miss Buffay, young man," she was still chuckling, and a warm smile stayed on her face. "Would you like to come in?" They looked at each other. "I might be able to help you." The two detectives walked in. "My name's Phoebe. I'm her mother." Angell and Flack shared a look as Phoebe shut the door. "I'm Phoebe Abbott. And Phoebe Buffay is now Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan. Would you like some tea or anything, detectives?"

"No, we're good. Can you tell us where we can find Phoebe?" Angell asked kindly.

"She lives uptown now with her husband. I can give you the address," the two detectives could only hold onto this lead, their only lead. They looked at the walls, not knowing that they had once been a tiny tint darker than lavender. Now the walls showed a majestic deep blue. The detectives couldn't notice the good times that six friends had had in there. The heart break and the turmoil. They didn't see that there had been a fight similar to Danny and Lindsay's fight in that room. But they couldn't see that. It wasn't their memories. It wasn't theirs to know. Six friends, who still met once in a while at their favorite coffee shop, had grown together in that building, but all Flack and Angell could see were blue walls. "Here you go." Flack thanked her, and Angell told her that they would be in touch if this address was wrong.

………………………………………………………………………………

"Kelly,_ in montacarichi_?" Danny asked, laughing. She turned towards her friend. She was not happy. It was a well known fact that she could speak Italian as a second language. She just decided that a threat in English would be more effective.

"Shut up, Messer, or you are going to wake up at the bottom of the river very confused," she lunged one step forward, stopping as he walked away quickly. She loved messing with him like that. She laughed and walked into the precinct. "Mac, where's Flack?"

"Getting a suspect," he answered.

"Dang, so we get stuck in an elevator, and he can't even do his job so we can interrogate a suspect?"

"They had to search some people, too."

"I know but still," she sighed. He rolled his eyes. "I wonder how the arrest's going."

……………………………………………………………………………..

"Two hundred fifty- three and two hundred fifty-four," Flack smiled. Angell wanted to kill him. She insisted that they take the elevator to the apartment, but Flack told her that if she wanted to go up alone she could. She definitely didn't because she could get stuck with some weird old guy who talked to himself, and then the elevator could stop. She didn't want to end up in an elevator for four and a half hours like Mac and Kelly. She didn't even know why Flack took the stairs in the first place. She glared at him. "What? This place has air conditioning. I'm soaking up every moment of it." That made her laugh. The two tired detectives walked up to the apartment and knocked. "NYPD." Flack didn't yell this time. They heard muffled voices arguing. A minute later a dark haired man came to the door.

"Can I help you?" the man asked.

"I'm Detective Flack, and this is Detective Angell," Flack introduced themselves. "We're looking for a Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan."

"I'm Mike Hannigan. Phoebe, my wife, is inside," he opened the door more to see an eccentrically dressed woman hurrying around and avoiding the detectives' eyes.

"Phoebe, we need you to come down to the precinct and answer some questions," Angell told her.

"Why can't you ask them here?" it wasn't hard to tell that Phoebe was trying to get away from them. Angell was ready for a chase. Flack was wishing they could do the interrogation there because the precinct's air conditioning was out.

"We like to do it on our turf. And we also need to know if you know some people," Flack told her. He listed out five names. He could see that she recognized them, but she acted like she didn't.

"I don't know them," she lied quickly.

"Here," Mike handed Angell an address book. She flipped through it. Phoebe gave her husband a look who in turn scowled.

"Thank you, Mr. Hannigan," she was sincere. Flack led Phoebe out of the apartment. She wasn't handcuffed, but she wasn't going out of there from her own free will.

"Call me Mike," he told her as she left.

……………………………………………………………………….

"Look who's back," Mac tapped her shoulder. Flack walked in with a woman in strange clothing. Kelly nodded.

"I'm so not interrogating her," Kelly claimed.

"Why?"

"Because I think that I shall wait for some guy named Chandler," she had a grin on her face.

"You wouldn't."

"I would. Wait, what wouldn't I do?"

"Make fun of him because of his name."

"I wouldn't dare," Kelly laughed. Angell walked in a minute or so later.

"I can't believe Flack," she mumbled when she walked over to Mac and Kelly.

"He that good?" Kelly smirked. Mac gave her a look for that.

"Can you go a day without making a sexually related joke?"

"Nope, so Angell what did Flack do?"

"Well, first he pressured me into walking the stairs to get the suspect because he wanted to enjoy the air conditioning. So then I told him that he could take the suspect in, and I parked his car in the farthest parking space I could find," she was obviously frustrated.

"I think he has a crush on you," Kelly joked. Angell laughed because she knew Flack meant well.

"Now I'm going to pick up a Joey Tribbiani," Angell walked away.

"Joey Tribbiani? As in the star of _Days of Our Lives_?" Kelly asked. She received looks of astonishment. "What? I don't watch soaps. Some people I know do, and they keep going on and on about him. And I hate soaps. They are too soapy." Angell went on her way, almost bothered by that momentary explanation that was just a small amount of time out of the day. "Mac, who's over at Phoebe's apartment?"

"Stella is. Let's go with Flack to the Bing's home," Mac told her. "Angell!" She turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Take Hawkes with you to process the apartment. Stanley Idle died of arsenic poisoning. We need to find it," Mac insisted. Angell nodded and pulled out her cell phone.

"Alright, let's go," she told him.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Mac drove in silence while Kelly searched through her songs. She had recently bought something to play her music through the speakers because she normally worked cases with Mac, and this was the lab's car that he always used. It was an hour and a half drive to the suburb where Monica and Chandler Bing lived. Well, it was normally an hour, but this traffic was a killer. She had recently been told that if she played certain country music that Mac would not hesitate to use that iPod in some sort of experiment. Kelly laughed, remembering when she taught him how to dance. When she taught him, all the worst songs came on. She decided that _Coldplay_ was safe so she played the new album _Viva la Vida_. They were a couple of minutes ahead of Flack. "So Phoebe's in holding, and we still have five more people to round up?"

"Yes," Mac answered, irritated by the traffic. Kelly looked over at her boss. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just that we can't control the traffic. And," Kelly didn't finish that thought because some things were meant to stay unsaid.

"What?"

"Nothing," Kelly grinned as _Strawberry Swing_ started. Thirty minutes and twelve songs later they arrived at the house. They waited for Flack. When he finally decided to show up, Kelly and Mac got their kits out but left them by the front door, hidden by a column. Flack knocked and gave the customary greeting. No answer. Before he kicked the door in, Kelly stopped him. "We could try the knob first you know." She reached out and turned the knob. They heard an argument in the kitchen. The three detectives invited themselves in after all they did have a warrant. They came into the kitchen; Flack came in faster than Mac and Kelly because bad things happened to them in kitchens. Actually, bad things happened to them everywhere. "Chandler and Monica Bing." She had to yell to be heard. The couple stopped fighting. They turned to the detectives, very surprised.

"Who are you?" Chandler asked.

"NYPD," Kelly lifted her shirt so he could see her badge at her waistband.

"Are we in trouble?" Monica wondered.

"We just need to ask you guys a few questions at the precinct, and these two are going to look for something in your house," Flack told them. Not wanting to get into trouble, the couple complied. The only concern Monica had was her daughter and son, but Chandler assured her that her parents would take great care of them. Kelly and Mac got their kits after Flack left and walked back into the kitchen to start looking for arsenic poisoning. The first thing they noticed was how clean and organized it was.

"Okay, top or bottom," Mac was talking about the cabinets they needed to look in first for the arsenic.

Kelly looked him over with a flirtatious smile and nudged him, winking not so subtly, "I like the top, Mac." _I can't believe I actually said that to him._ He was thinking along the same lines.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Danny and Lindsay looked at the apartment floor first. Then at the walls. Then at the ceiling.

"It's tasteful."

"Yeah, in the Cretaceous Era," Lindsay mumbled. It wasn't exactly tasteful. It was like Ralph Lauren met _Jurassic Park_, but it was done in an almost good looking way. Lindsay took the kitchen while Danny took the living room.

"So this guy's a paleontologist," Danny called, looking at a framed degree. Lindsay just kept working, looking through spices and mixes. There was nothing she tested that was arsenic.

……………………………………………………………………………………

"So Mac," Kelly started on the way back.

"You don't have to fill these silences," he answered as she flicked through her songs once more. She decided to not play anything so they drove back in silence. That was until Kelly broke the silence again.

"I never thanked you," she told him.

"For what?" he turned his attention from the road to her then back to the road.

"For giving me away at my wedding," she returned her focus back to her iPod.

"You're practically family, Kelly, I'd do almost anything for family," he said.

"Yeah, family's everything to me," she mumbled.

"I know," he told her. She looked at him and studied him a bit. "Okay, what?"

"I really don't know. I was just thinking of the elevator," she told him.

"What about it?" Mac asked.

"_X-Files_, Mr. Mulder," she laughed.

"You'll still be Indiana Jones to us, you know?" Mac told her.

"Yup, but I don't think it's fair for me to compare you to Mulder."

"Why's that?"

"Because he is so much sexier than you," she told him puckishly.

"I should've known," he chuckled.

"And in all fairness I'm not a guy so I'm not Indy," she reminded him. "M and S. Mulder and Scully. Mac and Stella. Maybe there is a better link between you and him. And why do you know about the _X-Files_? Guilty pleasure?"

"It's my job to know a little bit about everything," Mac remembered how he had told her husband the same thing when he was the head ME. "And you wouldn't catch me near the _X-Files_." Kelly glared at him.

"Mac Taylor, how can you not like the _X-Files_?" Kelly was flabbergasted. The _X-Files_ were brilliant! Maybe there was another reason they didn't get along. _It might be because I flirt with him that I fight. Well, what's the point of stopping now?_

"Alright, Kelly, why Mulder and Scully?"

"Well, before now, like when I first joined the team, you and Stella just flirted not unlike how we flirt except you two actually meant something. And if you would just _watch_ the show, you'd know."

………………………………………………………………………….

"How you doin'?" Joey Tribbiani asked Angell when the interrogation started. She rolled her eyes. She leaned down across the table at him. Flack was in the room behind the glass with pretty much the rest of the team watching. He was mad at this Joey Tribbiani who was obviously hitting on his girlfriend.

"Flack, if it's any consolation, Mac and I flirt all the time. Some could say I hit on him," Kelly told him.

"How is that supposed to help?"

"You know, I really don't know. Flack, don't you remember how Danny and I found out about you and Angell?" Kelly asked.

"How can I forget?" the others perked up, wanting to hear the story.

"_So Flack is doing laundry for the third time this week?" Danny asked._

"_Well, he's doing something, but it definitely isn't laundry. I bet laundry really is Angell. I saw the look they gave each other today. How 'bout we test him?" Kelly suggested._

"_What do you have in mind?" Danny asked as Flack walked into Sullivan's. Kelly got up from the pool table. _

"_How do I look?" she asked._

"_Umm, hold on," Danny said, knowing what she was going to do. He undid a button on her shirt._

"_You ever do that under normal circumstances, and I will slap you," she laughed. He eyed her._

"_You don't look that bad like that," Danny looked at her. She winked and grabbed a pool cue._

"_Observe the art of seduction. Watch, learn, and don't drink my coke," she waved Flack over. He came over._

"_Kells, how much have you drunk?" he asked, looking at her shirt trying not to look at his friend that way. But she looked good. _

"_I haven't," she brushed up against him as she took the triangle off the balls. Flack gulped. He looked at Danny for some help, but Danny was getting a drink at the bar._

"_So do you want to play some pool?" what the heck was she doing? Flack took a cue and broke the balls. _

"_Nice shot," she was struggling with this. It was one thing to flirt with her boss, but it was another to flirt with her best friend. And this was more than flirting. She was coming onto him. And he wasn't backing off. "So loser does winner's choice?"_

"_Sure," this was just weird. And she was just too close. And he just wasn't moving away. And Danny was just not able to keep a straight face._

………………………………………………………_.._

"_I'll see you tonight," Kelly mumbled loud enough for Flack to hear her. She walked off, biting her lip to keep from laughing. Thankfully no one was there to see her do that especially Hawkes. It was in the early part of their relationship where no one knew. But there always was the possibility of Mac…_

…………………………………………………………

"_I think Kelly knows about us," Flack told Angell._

"_Why do you think that?"_

"_She came onto me," Flack was concerned._

"_She's a flirt," Angell laughed._

"_She only flirts with Mac for fun, but she was like rubbing against me," Flack was just freaked out._

"_So flirt back. Make her wish she never messed with you," Angell suggested._

……………………………………………………_.._

"_So, Kells, I'm looking forward to tonight," Flack said loud enough for everyone to hear. Hawkes looked surprisingly calm, but he didn't exactly feel that way. Mac wanted to laugh. Kelly kept a straight face but was freaking out inside. But she knew that he must've known that she knew, and she wasn't going to back down._

"_I'll be waiting," she told him, winking. Flack walked out of the room quickly. _

……………………………………………………_._

_It was outside Kelly's apartment. Danny was in her bedroom though he wasn't invited in there. But Flack was at the door so she shushed him and answered it. She opened the door. Flack was wearing a little bit of cologne. Kelly was just trying not to laugh._

"_So I can't wait to have all the sex," were these words actually coming out of her mouth? _

"_Me too," Flack lied._

"_But umm first I should change," Kelly told him. She went into the bedroom to talk to Danny. "He's not giving up!"_

"_Hold on. Show him your bra. He's afraid of them. Can't work them," Danny told her._

"_That explains so much," Kelly answered. Danny licked his fingers and undid a couple of buttons. "Wow you did that without breaking any buttons."_

"_It wasn't my first time," Danny told her. She rolled her eyes. _

"There's no way that actually happened," Hawkes said.

"I know. I just thought I'd lighten up the atmosphere. I didn't think that Flack would play along," Kelly told her husband. "So, Flack, are you still jealous about Angell?"

"No, but I'm worried about you hitting on me," Flack answered.

"Only Mac should worry about that," she jested.

"Okay, your husband isn't in here," Hawkes told her. Mac however said nothing. He just didn't want to get into this one.

"You guys even notice that I finished the interrogation like ten minutes ago?" Angell asked. They turned around.

"Sorry," Flack was sheepish.

"Well, I'm going to start my interrogation," Kelly left as did the others.

…………………………………………………………………………..

"Bing. Chandler Bing. Mr. Bing," Kelly came into the interrogation room. Chandler looked up.

"You're the girl who came into my home," there was a questioning look in that.

"I'm the woman who did her job," she answered, bending over the interrogation table. It was one of the favorite tactics of the NYPD women to get a confession. It seemed the more they showed, they more the suspects seemed to tell. Now their spouses/boyfriends didn't like what they did. "I need to ask you some questions."

"Okay, ask away," Chandler consented. _I can see down her shirt. Why am I looking there? It's like some Jedi mind tactic. Gosh what is with the NYPD women? And how come Joey got the insanely hot one? I just get a good looking one. And aren't I married? I'm so glad Monica can't get inside my mind._

"Where were you last night?"

………………………………………………………………………………

Adam was working hard on the DNA results. Kendall was working on fingerprints. There were some foreign ones. They had run some DNA off the prints, and it matched the foreign DNA. It didn't match the other six samples. And CODIS had just spat out a name. Josh Reynolds. Adam dialed Flack's number.

……………………………………………………………………………….

"Okay, Danny, who here have you kissed?" Angell asked at the Sullivan's get together. They had just put away Josh Reynolds who killed the DA's secretary, Stanley Idle. Flack turned red, remembering the Yankees game. He had of course kissed Lindsay. But they were surprised when Kelly didn't make eye contact with anyone.

"I don't want to know," Hawkes told his wife.

"Fine, Sheldon. But in all fairness this was when they weren't together, and we were having troubles. Not like I really wanted to kiss him," she answered. "Not that he's a bad kisser." Danny nodded. Kelly smiled. "You don't know about a lot of things, Hawkes, a lot of things."

"Yeah, like whatever you and Mac do," Danny mumbled. Kelly kicked him from under the table.

"There is nothing going on between us! And I love how Mac and I never hang out together, and I hang with Danny and Flack like every night, but you guys have never accused me of having an affair with them," Kelly told them.

"What can I say? You'd be crazy to sleep with one of us," Flack told her.

"And I wouldn't be crazy to sleep with my boss? Nothing personal against Stella or Mac," she told them. "Not that I wouldn't sleep with Mac." It was really quiet at the table. "I really need to work on when I say things like that." Hawkes put his arm around her. "Just forget I said that."

"Never," Danny told her with a grin. She gave him another kick.

"Well, I say we wrap this night up. We all have shift tomorrow," Mac said.

"How 'bout a toast?" Kelly suggested.

"To what?" Stella asked.

"I don't know," Kelly stated.

"How about to the rest of our lives?" it sounded good to everyone.

"Alright, to the rest of our lives," they all raised their glasses. This is where the night stops. Yes, the CSIs have many more adventures together. But this story ends with seven beers and one cola.

**Finis**

**After Notes: I'm so sad that this is over. It's my last one. I will be writing more. So in the next coming months look for Touching the Void. That's what I'm going to call it. Well, one last thanking of my reviewers. I would like to thank my AWESOME reviewers: lily moonlight, CSIMiami17, h-h-han, Bonasera, Blue Shadowdancer, EverythingIsConnected, luf100, and Mrs. Donald Flack Jr.! They are so awesome. Please review this last one (to those who've never reviewed: it's not too late!)! Hope you have a fantastic day! I hope you enjoyed my longest one shot ever! :D**


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